Sant' Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna

Twin Churches: Sant' Apollinare in Classe and San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. Hotels in the centre of Ravenna.

Photo:1)outside, the front of the Basilica S.Apollinare in Classe, 2)inside, the apsis of the Basilica S.Apollinare in Classe
3)inside, the central aisle, 4)outside, the apsis side, 5)the campanile

Both churches are enthralling; together they form a “unicum” of faith and incomparable beauty. The two churches confront and combine the foundations of their doctrine, politics and institutions on which the Christian world of the sixth century was built: at last, the Old Testament ideally binds with the New Testament, its natural following: we can, indeed, close our history books, because no other synthesis could ever be superior to what the eye can behold here.

In the presbytery of San Vitale, the history of salvation is told: the characters rise towards the top of the cupola, with the mediation of prophets, evangelists and even the Lamb. Lying in the apse in the semi-basin is the emperor, considered a holy person, having been chosen by God to guarantee peace and happiness in the world.

Sant’Apollinare in Classe amazingly interprets the Mystery of Salvation and the role of the Church in the world.  Only faith in the Church can perpetuate and ensure the way to eternal life, here represented by its first bishop of Ravenna Apollinium ( Apollinare ), on an uninterrupted human trail, from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, up to Classe and Ravenna, capital of the western empire.

San Vitale and its twin Sant’Apollinare in Classe conclude the ancient period and unveil the Middle Ages.

Prof. Gianni Morelli


The pleasure of fine accommodation in the centre of Ravenna: we recommend the Fabbri hotels for a pleasant stay as follows:

The Centrale Byron hotel, 3-star hotel in the centre of Ravenna, close to San Vitale;

The Bisanzio, 4-star hotel in the centre of Ravenna, close to San Vitale;

Once you have reached the hotel and parked your car, forget it and walk everywhere, because everything is within walking distance.

The railway station is near our hotels and within walking distance.


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