Ravenna Imperial Capital: Onorio and Galla Placidia

Ravenna, Italy, the Imperial Capital: Onorio and Galla Placidia. Hotel near the Roman churches, in Ravenna downtown.

Photo: 1)trait of the coastal dune today still exinting, 2)the marshes in the north of Ravenna
3)the Galla Placidia Mausoleum and the Santa Croce Church

The second turning point was in the year 402: when the Roman emperor Onorio, moved the capital of the Western Roman empire to Ravenna.

The town was surrounded by marshland, the only access route coming from Rimini to Aquileia and it was built on the peaks of the costal dunes.

As it was on the sea, it was difficult to reach by the Visigoths of Alarico (who were not sea people), while was at the same time accessible for naval assistance from the East.

This was the beginning of a golden era for Ravenna.

Onorio was succeeded by the splendid Galla Placidia, his sister, who is celebrated in the famous monuments of Saint John the Evangelist (a hundred metres from the coastline at those times, votive offering of  Placidia to the Apostle after surviving a tempest in the Adriatic, Basilica at one time decorated with the medallions bearing the portraits of the Imperial family).

Bishop Pietro Crisologo, a friend of Placidia, had the Petriana Basilica erected, of massive proportions and of great beauty.

Placidia was also responsible for the building of the Santa Croce and her mausoleum, splendid marble and mosaic works, allegorically representing her life and her faith in Christ, as he caresses her –in the background setting depicted above the entrance door – in the form of a sheep.

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, near mausoleum of Galla Placidia and near the churches;

The Bisanzio, 4-star hotel in the centre of Ravenna, near mausoleum of Galla Placidia and near the churches;

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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