Ravenna is a city in the Italian Emilia-Romagna region, and it is a city with an interesting history. It was from here that Julius Caesar set out for his troops when he crossed the Rubicon River. And it was to here that Emperor Honorius moved the capital of the Western Roman Empire in the year 408. At the end of the empire before 476, approximately 50,000 lived in Ravenna, which later became the capital of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In later centuries, the dominion over the city changed, before Ravenna belonged first to Venice and then to the Papal States. In 1861, the city became part of the Kingdom of Italy.

Today, the city of Ravenna is known for its nearby lovely beaches on the Adriatic coast and not least as home to the pinnacle of Roman and Byzantine mosaics, and the city is world famous for its beautifully preserved works of art. There are thus a total of eight buildings in Ravenna that are included in UNESCO’s list of world cultural heritage. The buildings represent mosaics and monuments from early Christianity, and period-wise they date from the year 430 to the year 549.

The eight UNESCO buildings consist of the baptisteries Battistero Neoniano and Battistero degli Ariani, where in both places there is a ceiling mosaic of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. In Galla Placidia’s Mausoleum you can see mosaics of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and a starry sky with a cross. In the Cappella Arcivescovile, located in the Archbishop’s Palace, you can see various smaller mosaics, while in the churches of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Basilica di San Vitale and Basilica di Sant’Apollinare in Classe you can enjoy some very large wall mosaics. The Mausoleum of Theodoric is the last of the eight buildings. It is not decorated with mosaics but stands as a unique royal tomb from its time.

There are other things to see in Ravenna as well. The old town is very atmospheric for a walk, and a good example is the square Piazza del Popolo, which is mainly surrounded by 15th-17th century buildings. The church of Basilica di San Francesco is not far from here and it is known for the tomb of Dante Alighieri, which is found in an annex next to the church. Dante was buried in 1321, while the annex was built in 1781 over his tomb. You can also visit several museums in Ravenna. Here is a museum specifically for Dante Alighieri, and you can visit the city’s art museum and the National Museum in Ravenna too, the latter has many archaeological finds in its collections.