Attractions and Places To See around Russi - Top 20

It is the square overlooked by the Cathedral of Ravenna, the city's religious center since the early Christian era. The area took on its current configuration between the 18th and 19th centuries, when the spaces around the episcopal buildings were reorganized. In the center of the square stands the Column of the Virgin Mary, a devotional element erected as a sign of protection for the city. At the top is a statue of the Madonna, a religious and historical reference symbol for the community of Ravenna.

The Basilica of San Vitale was built in the 6th century AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian, it is one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture and art in Western Europe. The interior is famous for its golden and luminous mosaics, among the most important in the Byzantine world, depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora with their retinue. The structure has an octagonal plan, a symbol of perfection and the link between earth and sky. It is part of the eight early Christian monuments of Ravenna inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It was begun under Ostrogothic rule and completed after the Byzantine reconquest of the city, thus reflecting the transition between two very different political and cultural worlds. The interior is built with a typical Byzantine technique that creates an effect of "expanded space", where walls and surfaces almost completely dissolve into the mosaics. The apse is one of the most important points: here Justinian is represented not as a simple emperor, but as a representative of sacred power, together with Bishop Maximian. The basilica is also connected to the nearby Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, sharing the same historical period and the same artistic language, although with different functions.

Ravenna is a city with one of the richest UNESCO heritages in Europe: it has 8 recognized sites, a very high number compared to many entire countries. For comparison, Norway has only 8 in total, and several European states have even fewer. The city is especially famous for its early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, preserved in monuments such as the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. It was the capital of the Western Roman Empire and then an important Byzantine center, a role that has left a unique artistic legacy. It is also linked to the figure of Dante Alighieri, who spent the last years of his life there and is buried in the city.

The two Venetian columns in Piazza del Popolo with their Renaissance bases by Pietro Lombardo are striking examples of Italian Renaissance sculpture and bas-relief, unfortunately in a poor state of conservation.

An interesting place 📍 in the church is under the altar a place filled with water where small colorful fish swim 🐟 and to see them you have to throw in 1 euro then the lights turn on and you can see the mosaics ℹ floating 🐟

It's worth purchasing a combined ticket for five religious attractions in Ravenna. The price includes visits to the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Basilica of S. Apollinare N., the Arcivescovile Museum and Cappella, and the Battistero Neoniano. The ticket price for November 2025 is €12.50. I recommend a ticket valid for five days from purchase.

The church of San Vitale in Ravenna, probably begun in 537 and dedicated to Saint Vitalis in 547, is one of the most important church buildings of the late antique and early Byzantine period. It combines architectural forms from the Eastern Roman Empire with construction techniques typical of Italy at the time. It was built in a time of upheaval, when the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I was waging war against the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy. The church, built as a central building, is famous above all for its mosaics inside, in particular the portraits of Justinian and his wife Theodora in the lower apse. Along with the other early church buildings in Ravenna, San Vitale has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. In 1960, it was given the honorary title of Basilica minor by Pope John XXIII.

One of the few saints who is highly valued outside of Christianity is San Francesco, known in German-speaking countries as Francis of Assisi. Francis was born in Assisi in 1181/82 and died in 1226. In his youth, the son of wealthy parents, he was more of a bon vivant, but later he turned to Christ. One day he was praying in the half-ruined church of San Damiano, located on a hillside outside the city walls of Assisi, and heard the voice of Christ from the cross, calling on him to "rebuild his church". At first he took this request literally and restored the church building, but later he came to the realization that this was primarily about the church as the community of believers. Francis became a role model for many people, they joined him and the "Order of the Minor Brothers" (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) of Francis of Assisi was founded. Today, there are three male branches in the vast Franciscan order: the Franciscans, the Minorites and the Capuchins; and two female branches: the Franciscan sisters and the Poor Clares. In addition, there is the "Third" or "Secular" Order, which can be joined by women and men who do not take the classic religious vows (poverty, chastity and obedience) and continue to live in their families and professions.