San Vital basilica of Ravenne

The Basilique San Vital of Ravenne (in Italy) is one of the monuments most representative of the architecture and Byzantine art in Western Europe.

The legend reports that the basilica would have been set up on the spot of the martyrdom of Vital saint. However, it is not certain that it is about Vital saint of Milan or another Vital saint whose Relique S were at the same time discovered as those of Agricola saint by Saint Ambroise in 393 with Bologna.

It was started with the Ecclesius bishop in 527 and was finished in 548 by the 27e bishop of Ravenne, Maximien, for the period of the Exarchat. The building combines Roman architectural elements (the dome, the shape of the gates, turns) with Byzantine elements (the polygonal apse, capitals, construction out of briquettes, etc) the church is of an major importance, because it is only from the period justinienne and practically not to have undergone transformations until our days.

Construction was financed by a Greek banker, Julien the Banker, which one knows very few things if it is not that it also financed the construction of the Basilique Sant' Apollinare in Class about the same time. The true benefactor can have also been the Byzantine emperor itself, which regarded the foundation of churches a tool of propaganda and as a way of reinforcing the bonds of certain territories with the empire.

It is thought that his plan can give an idea of that of the imperial palace to Constantinople, palate of which there remain nothing. He has, in all the cases, inspired that of the palatine vault of Charlemagne to Aachen, built after his crowning as emperor. He also inspired, well later, Filippo Brunelleschi for the construction of the baptistry of the cathedral of Florence.

However, the monument is universally known and draws the essence of its importance from its sumptuous mosaic of Byzantine invoice which decorate the vault absidale - besides Ravenne has the most impressive whole of mosaics of all the Byzantine field (those of the capital having suffered much from the crisis iconoclast): it was worth at the town of be registered with the World heritage of UNESCO.

A triumphal arch separates the vault from the central part of the building; it is decorated of 15 medallions appearing Jesus-Christ, the 12 apostles (of which holy Paul) and two wire of saint Vital, holy Gervais and holy Protais.

The iconographic program of the former part of the vault calls broad upon scenes of the Old Testament which refer to the divine sacrifice (the sacrifices of Abel, Abraham, Melchisédech sympolisent the perfect sacrifice, preceding that of Christ represented by the Lamb) and to the effective and real presence of God (in the Burning bush, with the Sinai Mount or by the three Angels, symbols of the Trinité).

the vault of the sanctuary is divided into four sectors, separated by broad garlands from foliage with fruits, birds, small animals, a peacock with the junction with the pillars. These garlands meet on the level of the central medallion, carried by four angels, where is the mystical Lamb. Each sector is covered with a sowing of sheets of acanthus raised of gold, enclosing between their curves a whole world of birds and animals various.
the vault is separated from the déambulatoire, on each side, by triple blind arcade decorated with panels representing of the scenes of the Old Testament:

on the left, Abraham, receiving the visit of the 3 angels, and the sacrifice which it is on the point of making of his son; Brace on the Mount the Sinai;
on the right, sacrifices of Abel and Melchisédech; Brace in front of the Burning bush;
of the figures of angels, the prophets Isaïe and Jérémie, the four evangelists accompanied by their symbols supplement the decoration of this part;

The bottom of the vault is devoted to the Christ, which in the first place, in front of the imperial couple.

Two large side wall panels comprise the mosaics, probably most famous of all Byzantine art which represent, face to face:

the Justinien emperor in all his pump offers a Saint-Vital patene to the church which it has just released from the yoke arien, it is accompanied by the Maximien bishop and of high religious dignities, civilians and soldiers, his step symbolizes the re-establishment of the communion and the Chrisme points out the memory of Constantin;
Théodora and its continuation of chamberlain and lady's companions offer a chalice to the released church;

finally, it bottom-of-vault of the apse represents, sitted on the vault of the world, the Christ in majesty, beardless and vêtu of crimson, surrounded by two angels and Vital saint - to which it tightens the crown of martyrdom - and of the Ecclésius bishop who makes him gift of the model of the basilica. These five characters appear on a gold bottom and have in front of their feet a stylized pastoral decoration.

The sumptuous decoration of the vault is supplemented by a geometrical pavement with the complex decoration and by wall polychrome marble panels. The columns are surmounted very worked capitals of characteristic Byzantine style: their form is that of a reversed truncated pyramid, with curvilinear edges.

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