Ravenna was the capital of the Western Roman Empire, then of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric, then of Byzantine Italy, and each of its rulers left churches covered in mosaics. From the outside they are plain brick; inside they glow with gold, blue and green. Dante is buried here too. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Ravenna
- An imperial capital: in 402 Emperor Honorius moved the capital of the Western Roman Empire to Ravenna, protected by marshes and close to the sea. It remained the capital until the empire fell in 476.
- Eight monuments, one World Heritage Site: since 1996 UNESCO has listed eight early Christian monuments in Ravenna, including San Vitale, the two baptisteries and the two basilicas of Sant'Apollinare.
- A sky full of stars: the small Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, from the 5th century, has a dome covered in deep blue mosaic scattered with gold stars around a central cross. Galla Placidia, the sister of Honorius, governed the Western Empire for years as regent for her young son.
- An emperor who never came: San Vitale, consecrated in 547, shows Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora with their courts in two famous mosaic panels, although neither of them ever visited Ravenna.
- A roof made of one stone: the Mausoleum of Theodoric, built around 520 as the king's future tomb, is topped by a single block of Istrian stone about 10 metres across and weighing around 230 tonnes.
- Hands without bodies: in Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, built by Theodoric, the new Byzantine rulers had his court removed from the mosaic of his palace. Look closely at the columns and you can still see a few hands left behind.
- A port that lost its sea: Classe, south of the city, was the base of a Roman fleet in the time of Augustus. The coast has since silted up and moved away, and the basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe now stands among fields.
- Dante's last home: the poet died in Ravenna on 14 September 1321, in exile from Florence. His small neoclassical tomb by Camillo Morigia was completed in 1781, and every year Florence sends oil for the lamp that burns inside.
- A poet in love: Lord Byron lived in Ravenna from 1819 to 1821, drawn by his love for Countess Teresa Guiccioli.
- Music in the basilicas: since 1990 the Ravenna Festival has brought concerts, opera and dance to the city every summer, sometimes in the same churches as the mosaics.
The bones of Dante
For centuries Florence wanted back the poet it had exiled. In 1519, Pope Leo X, himself a Medici from Florence, allowed a delegation to collect Dante's remains, with Michelangelo among those who supported the request. When the sarcophagus in Ravenna was opened, it was empty. The Franciscan friars who looked after the tomb had taken the bones out through a hole in the wall and hidden them in their monastery. They were moved into the new tomb in 1781, then hidden again when Napoleon closed the religious orders, and forgotten. In 1865, during work for the 600th anniversary of Dante's birth, a builder found a wooden box in a walled-up doorway with an inscription saying it held Dante's bones. They were reburied in the tomb, where they remain. During the Second World War they were buried in a garden nearby for safety.
What to eat in Ravenna
- Piadina romagnola: a thin flatbread cooked on a griddle and folded around fillings. It has had EU protected status since 2014.
- Squacquerone di Romagna: a soft, fresh, slightly tangy cheese, classic in a piadina with rocket.
- Cappelletti: small hat-shaped pasta filled with cheese, served in broth, especially around Christmas.
- Passatelli: thick strands made from breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, eggs and nutmeg, cooked in broth.
- Sangiovese di Romagna: the region's everyday red wine; for white, try the local Albana.
Good to know before you go
- Several of the mosaic monuments share a combined ticket, and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia can need a booked time slot in busy periods. Check the official sites before you go.
- Sant'Apollinare in Classe is outside the centre but easy to reach by bus or local train.
- Ravenna is flat and very bike-friendly, and many hotels lend or rent bicycles.
- The Adriatic beaches of Marina di Ravenna and Punta Marina are a short bus ride away in summer.
Explore Ravenna with World City Trail
Our Ravenna scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 38 minutes of walking, and includes a stop at the Giardini Pubblici, the city's public gardens.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Dutch.
Play the Ravenna scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.