Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Welcome to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most artistically perfect monuments of the early Christian era. Located in the historic city of Ravenna, this small building serves as a…

To truly appreciate this monument, one must understand the remarkable woman behind its commission. Galla Placidia was the daughter of Emperor Theodosius the Great and the sister of Emperor Honorius, who moved the capital of the…

Directly above the entranceway, in the lunette of the barrel vault, you will find one of the most famous mosaics in the world: Christ as the Good Shepherd. This image is a pivotal example of how early Christian iconography began…

Opposite the entrance, in the lunette of the back wall, is a more dramatic and energetic scene. A figure dressed in a white robe, carrying a cross and a book, rushes toward a burning gridiron. …

When you stand in the center of the cross-shaped plan and look upward, you are greeted by one of the most stunning sights in all of Ravenna: the starry vault. The central dome is covered in a deep, indigo-blue mosaic filled with…

As you lower your gaze from the starry heights to the lunettes of the central drum, you will notice a recurring motif of birds and animals that further enriches the spiritual narrative of the mausoleum. In several of the…

At the ends of the arms of the cross-shaped interior sit three large marble sarcophagi, which have for centuries fueled the legends of this building. According to tradition, the central, largest sarcophagus was intended for Galla…

As you prepare to exit the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and return to the vibrant streets of modern Ravenna, take one final look around this extraordinary space. You have moved through a carefully choreographed sequence of light…