The Basilica of St Vitale

Well, Readers, if the little Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was almost domestic in its scale, the Basilica of St Vitale really dialled things up to eleven. It was consecrated in 547, during the reign of Justinian. Everything about it is, I think, intended to induce a sense of awe. There is an upper gallery, and it’s thought that this is where those awaiting baptism would have viewed the Eucharist – at a certain point they would all have had to have left. The columns are of a kind of marble found in Constantinople, and each one would have been shipped intact (though some of the columns have been fixed with metal straps – unlike Ikea, you couldn’t just take a column back for.a refund).

The flooring is of a wide variety of different marbles and other materials, including porphyry (the purple stone).

And then there are the mosaics, of course. Here is Jesus, clean-shaven, between two angels.  To the right is Bishop Ecclesius, holding a model of the Basilica (so we know who’s responsible) and to the left is St Vitale, for whom the church was named. St. Vitale is the patron saint of Ravenna, and was said to have been martyred by being buried alive.

There are also images of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora, with her extraordinary head dress.

This is a truly extraordinary building, and you could sit in a pew and spot things for hours. I shall probably upload a few more photographs when I have a bit more bandwidth (wi fi at the hotel is pants (technical term). But all is well, and I am so lucky to be here, and to be seeing such wonderful things