The Neonian Baptistery, also called the Orthodox Baptistery, is the small octagonal brick building beside Ravenna Cathedral. From outside it looks plain, but its dome holds one of the best-preserved mosaic schemes of the 5th century: Christ being baptised in the Jordan, ringed by the twelve apostles. Begun around 400, it is considered the oldest of Ravenna's surviving monuments.
The Neonian Baptistery at a glance
- Where: Piazza Arcivescovado, next to the cathedral (Duomo) in the centre of Ravenna.
- Built: begun in the late 4th or early 5th century under Bishop Ursus; decorated under Bishop Neon in the second half of the 5th century.
- By: commissioned by the bishops Ursus and Neon; the names of the mosaic artists are not known.
- What it is today: a museum space and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna', listed in 1996.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes.
From bishop's baptistery to World Heritage Site
The baptistery was begun when Ravenna had just become the capital of the Western Roman Empire under Emperor Honorius, as part of the cathedral complex founded by Bishop Ursus. It was built partly over the remains of Roman baths, reusing their bricks. Bishop Neon, after whom it is named, rebuilt the dome around the middle of the 5th century and paid for the mosaics, stucco and marble that cover the interior. It is also called the Orthodox Baptistery, to distinguish it from the Arian Baptistery built later for the Arian Goths of Theodoric.
Over the centuries the ground around the building rose while the building itself sank, and its original floor now lies almost three metres below today's floor. That is why the walls look squat from outside and why you step down to enter. The cathedral of Ursus that it served was demolished in the 18th century and replaced by the present cathedral next door.
What to look for
- The central medallion of the dome: John the Baptist pours water over Christ, who stands waist-deep in the river, with the dove of the Holy Spirit above. The shallow dish in John's hand was added by a 19th-century restorer, and other parts of the scene were reworked over time.
- The river god: beside Christ sits a bearded figure labelled IORDANN, the river Jordan shown as a classical river god, a pagan image carried into Christian art.
- The twelve apostles: they walk in two processions, carrying crowns, on a deep blue ground, and meet at Saints Peter and Paul. Their faces are all different.
- The ring below them: eight painted architectural settings, four with altars holding open Gospel books and four with empty thrones waiting for Christ's return.
- The walls: stucco prophets in niches, gold acanthus scrolls on blue, and panels of red and green porphyry and other coloured stone. In the centre stands the octagonal marble font, put together in the Middle Ages from older pieces.
Two baptisteries, one scene
Ravenna has a second baptistery with the same subject in its dome: the Arian Baptistery, built around 500 for the Goths, who followed a different Christian doctrine. The two make a good pair. Look at how Christ, John and the river god are arranged here, then compare them with the Arian version a short walk away; the similarities show how closely the two communities borrowed from each other, and the differences show the decades between them.
Tips for your visit
- The baptistery is visited with the combined ticket for Ravenna's main early Christian monuments, which also covers San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Archiepiscopal Museum. Groups need to book.
- Give your eyes a minute: after the bright piazza the interior seems dark, but the gold and blue of the dome come out as you adjust. Stand under the centre and look straight up.
- It is a small room, so it fills quickly at peak times. Come early or late in the day for a quieter visit.
Nearby
- Ravenna Cathedral (Duomo): the 18th-century cathedral on the site of Ursus's church, with a round bell tower, right next door.
- Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel of Sant'Andrea: a tiny private chapel of the bishops, covered in mosaics from around 500, a short walk away.
- Dante's Tomb: the small neoclassical tomb of Dante Alighieri, who died in exile in Ravenna in 1321, a few minutes' walk away.
- Arian Baptistery: the other baptistery, with the dome to compare, on the other side of the centre.
See Ravenna with World City Trail
Our Ravenna scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 38 minutes of walking, and includes the Giardini Pubblici. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Ravenna.
Play the Ravenna scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Ravenna →
Play the outdoor escape game in Ravenna →
Facts checked in October 2026.