Basilica di Sant'Agata Maggiore

Welcome to the Basilica di Sant'Agata Maggiore, a profound testament to the early Christian and Byzantine history of Ravenna. As a scholar of architecture would observe, this structure represents one of the city's oldest and most…

Standing before the main entrance of Sant'Agata Maggiore, we are greeted by a facade that is a mosaic of different historical periods. The predominant material is typical of Ravenna: slender, red-hued bricks, often reused from…

As you step into the central nave, the sheer verticality and rhythm of the space become immediately apparent. The nave is separated from the two side aisles by two rows of ten columns each. …

The apse of Sant'Agata Maggiore today appears quite stark compared to the dazzling gold-ground mosaics of San Vitale or Galla Placidia. However, it was not always this way. …

One of the most precious liturgical furnishings within the basilica is the ambo, or pulpit, which dates to the mid-6th century. Carved from a single block of Greek marble, it is one of the finest surviving examples of its kind in…

A visitor to Sant'Agata Maggiore cannot help but notice the steps leading down from the entrance to the nave floor. This is not a design choice for aesthetic drama, but a result of a geological phenomenon known as 'subsidence.'…

Adjacent to the main body of the basilica stands the campanile, or bell tower. In Ravenna, bell towers are typically cylindrical, following a tradition that became established in the 9th and 10th centuries. …

As we conclude our visit to the Basilica of Sant'Agata Maggiore, I hope you carry with you a sense of the profound layers of history that define this sacred space. We have journeyed from the 5th-century foundations, supported by…