Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Ravenna Street

We are going to Ravenna today. We get to the station about 25 minutes early for our train and see that there is a train leaving in 5 minutes to Ferrara where we change trains to Ravenna so we get on it. Even though our connections have not been a problem, it is always nice having a little extra time to check the schedule and track number when changing trains. This turns a 5 minute turnaround into a 25 minute one.
Arriving at Ferrara, we check the departure schedule, and it shows our train to Ravenna at 0922 on track 1. I feel better as since the train was not showing on the automated machine in Padova, I was a bit leery. We walk over towards track one and now in the main terminal look up at the automated board which only shows departure for the next 20-30 minutes. Our train does not show up on it and there is another train scheduled on track 1 near the same time but going elsewhere. I see a sign that says attenzione on the paper departure billboard and think it says the train to Ravenna is not running. Carol goes on the ticket line while I go outside to see what I can find out. I ask a bus driver about a bus to Ravenna and he points to a hotel across the street. Just then Carol comes out and says there is no train, we need to take a bus.
We cross the street and do not see any signs for Ravenna so again in my so so Italian ask someone about a bus for Ravenna and we are in the right place and he tells me 0925 so we have about 10 minutes to wait. He also tells me two hours when the train was only one so our journey will be longer.
The bus arrives and it is a coach so that is nice and also not crowded so double bonus. At this point, we do not know if it is direct or not. After we leave and I see a sign that says Ravenna 73, I have my answer. That is about 50 miles for a two hour ride so direct probably is not happening. After a little bit, we turn off the main road for the town of Monsanto. Cute town, we stop at the train station, one person gets on. Now we leave on a road the size of a bike path, curving back and forth, brake, speed, brake, speed, slow so a car going the other way can squeeze by, and so on. It takes about 20 minutes to get back to the main road. It is a scenic ride and we stop at every podunk little village with a train station along the way most of which not a single person gets on or off. We also stop at one or two stops on roads where people do get on. Not sure of what system or schedule this is but nobody seems to pay and the driver has not looked at a single ticket. Very interesting.
Eventually, we make it to the Ravenna train station, as advertised, two hours later. We go in to make sure our train to Rimini tomorrow does in fact exist.

Our Hotel and Street

Everything seems to indicate it is a train and not a train bus, so we wait in line and buy our tickets. That done, it is time to find our hotel. As we walk, we see something to eat. We stop for, what else, pizza, our food choice for the past day. Two Sicilian type slices with veggies and such, for only a 1.20 each. Small table to sit on outside and we are off to a pretty good start in Ravenna. Each town has had a slightly different version of pizza. All have been good but the Pizza Doge is still running at number one.
We see a sign for our hotel so veer off my route and follow several signs to arrive at our destination. It looks like it is in a cool area in the middle of town.
We check in with a very nice and friendly front desk guy whose name I can’t remember. He gives us a map and shows us where the main sights are. The room is ready now and is very nice and off the street as requested.

Basilica di San Vitale

Ravenna is known for its old churches with mosaics and we only have this afternoon to see it, so we head on out. First stop is not a sight but rather a restaurant we had read about which reservations were highly recommended. We make our reservations and then walk on over towards the Basilica of San Vitale. On the way we stop to try a local item called a Piadina. It is like a quesadilla, stuffed with various items, we choose the local squacquerone cheese( like a cream cheese) and arugula. The dough is not like a tortilla and not quite like a pizza dough. Maybe a mix of the two. It is good but I think my first choice is still pizza.
We arrive at the Basilica and buy a combination pass which will get us into several sights on our list. Entering the Basilica, your eyes are immediately drawn front and upward to the beautiful mosaics above the alter. The central dome is painted and amazing also. It is hard to imagine that you are standing in a church that is almost 1500 years old and that the displays in front of you are made up of thousands of glass and gold chips about the size of your fingernails. Ravenna was becoming a major part of civilization in the time period when the Roman empire was declining and the barbarians were making headway in Italy.

Emporer Justinian

The Emporer Justinian used Ravenna to stabilize things. The church shows this by tying in God to the Emporer. Christ oversees his glorious creation while the Emporer is shown with a halo and crown indicating he is leader of the church and the state. Borders of cornucopia promises prosperity for those who are obedient to church and state. This information and more is all in the mosaics for the people to see and have interpreted for them by the priest.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

We stroll across the courtyard to the mausoleum of Galla Placidia. The tomb was designed to be the tomb of Galla Placidia who was a daughter, sister, and mother of emporers but she died in Rome and was never buried here. The mosaics depict St Lawrence being martyred by fire and other bible interpretations.
We now have to walk across town to the Basilica of Sant Apollinare Nuovo and we make a stop along the way at the Arian Baptistry. This was the Baptistry of Theodoric the Great, the gothic king of Italy from 493-526. The mosaic highlights Jesus human nature rather than his divine, showing him naked, emphasizing his mortal body. The details in the mosaic at the time of Justinian were considered to reflect heresy and most of these were destroyed. This is a rare survivor of the Arian times.

Sant Apollinare Circa 500

The Basilica of Sant Apollinare has a typical early Christian floor plan. The mosaics are on the side panels depicting Mary receiving gifts from a procession of haloed virgins and Christ with 4 angels awaiting a procession of 26 martyrs. This started as an Arian church and is an example of Emporer Justinian converting things to Byzantine. You can see in some of the mosaics where Arian figures were erased and see the outline of their halos.
We move on to a quick stop at Dante’s tomb. Dante was exiled from Florence for political beliefs and lived here. After he died, Florence forgave him and wanted his body. Ravenna hid his body and relics in the Monastery of San Francesco in 1519. They were only rediscovered in 1865. We also stop in the church of San Francesco which has a mosaic that is underwater because the water table has risen over three feet since the fifth century.

Christ Stepping on Evil

Our last two stops on our whirlwind Ravenna tour are the Neonian Baptistry and the Archiepiscopal museum. The Neonian Baptistry dates from about 400 and has a large baptismal pool used to convert pagans to Christianity. The mosaic above the pool displays John the Baptist baptizing Christ in the River Jordan. The nearby museum contains the private prayer chapel for Theodoric the Greats Bishop. The mosaic here shows Christ defeating evil stepping on a lion and snake both symbols of evil at the time. There is also a sixth century ivory throne carved for Bishop Maximian.
Ravenna is a nice town to walk in. We liked the feel of it and the streets around the sights are quiet and mostly traffic free. Although you can see the major sights in 3-4 hours, it would be a nice town to linger and spend a leisurely day strolling through.

Vino Va Bene

We relax before dinner and walk a few blocks to the restaurant. We have two nice pasta dinners, one maccheroni with eggplant and mozzarella, and strozzapreti (looked like worms to me) with sausage and peas. A bottle of wine called Pagadebit, since this was an wine bar type of place. The waiter brought a small plastic shopping bag that was full of ice and says only 200 Euros! Funny guy. It was a nice touch keeping our wine cold. We tried dessert tonight splitting a Marzapane, a chocolate type creation with almond flavor and obviously laced with amaretto. It was excellent. Since the gelato place was right across from our hotel, Carol could not get into the hotel door without going through the gelato place. Two gelatos later, we retire for the evening.
CNC
“Travel and change of place, impart new vigor to the mind”- Seneca

Expenses
21.60E-2 train bus tickets to Ravenna
3E- 2 slices vegeteriano pizza at Pizzeria Arcobaleno
4.20E- Piadina at Pizzeria Cupido
2.24E- 2 ice cold cokes
31.50E- 2 dinners, bottle of wine, dessert at Ca De Ven
5E- 2 gelatos
65E- Hotel Central Byron

Miles Walked- 5.7 Miles