Attractions and Places To See around Russi - Top 20

It is the square overlooked by the Cathedral of Ravenna, the city's religious center since the early Christian era. The area took on its current configuration between the 18th and 19th centuries, when the spaces around the episcopal buildings were reorganized. In the center of the square stands the Column of the Virgin Mary, a devotional element erected as a sign of protection for the city. At the top is a statue of the Madonna, a religious and historical reference symbol for the community of Ravenna.

The Basilica of San Vitale was built in the 6th century AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian, it is one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture and art in Western Europe. The interior is famous for its golden and luminous mosaics, among the most important in the Byzantine world, depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora with their retinue. The structure has an octagonal plan, a symbol of perfection and the link between earth and sky. It is part of the eight early Christian monuments of Ravenna inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It was begun under Ostrogothic rule and completed after the Byzantine reconquest of the city, thus reflecting the transition between two very different political and cultural worlds. The interior is built with a typical Byzantine technique that creates an effect of "expanded space", where walls and surfaces almost completely dissolve into the mosaics. The apse is one of the most important points: here Justinian is represented not as a simple emperor, but as a representative of sacred power, together with Bishop Maximian. The basilica is also connected to the nearby Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, sharing the same historical period and the same artistic language, although with different functions.

Ravenna is a city with one of the richest UNESCO heritages in Europe: it has 8 recognized sites, a very high number compared to many entire countries. For comparison, Norway has only 8 in total, and several European states have even fewer. The city is especially famous for its early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, preserved in monuments such as the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. It was the capital of the Western Roman Empire and then an important Byzantine center, a role that has left a unique artistic legacy. It is also linked to the figure of Dante Alighieri, who spent the last years of his life there and is buried in the city.

The two Venetian columns in Piazza del Popolo with their Renaissance bases by Pietro Lombardo are striking examples of Italian Renaissance sculpture and bas-relief, unfortunately in a poor state of conservation.

It's worth purchasing a combined ticket for five religious attractions in Ravenna. The price includes visits to the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Basilica of S. Apollinare N., the Arcivescovile Museum and Cappella, and the Battistero Neoniano. The ticket price for November 2025 is €12.50. I recommend a ticket valid for five days from purchase.

The church of San Vitale in Ravenna, probably begun in 537 and dedicated to Saint Vitalis in 547, is one of the most important church buildings of the late antique and early Byzantine period. It combines architectural forms from the Eastern Roman Empire with construction techniques typical of Italy at the time. It was built in a time of upheaval, when the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I was waging war against the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy. The church, built as a central building, is famous above all for its mosaics inside, in particular the portraits of Justinian and his wife Theodora in the lower apse. Along with the other early church buildings in Ravenna, San Vitale has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. In 1960, it was given the honorary title of Basilica minor by Pope John XXIII.

The Piazza Duomo is one of the most central places in Ravenna and yet the visitor does not recognize it at first glance. Nestled between Piazza Caduti and Piazza Kennedy, it surprises everyone who comes here. The stark contrast between the white marble of the cathedral and the bright green of the pine trees of the central small park illuminates the entire square. The fascinating comparison between the Roman-era gray granite column, on which stands a statue of the Virgin Mary erected in 1659 to celebrate the end of the plague, and the cathedral's baroque façade with its three soaring arches add more charm. When placed opposite each other, they dominate the place undisputedly. Source: https://ravennacityguide.it/en/piazza-duomo/

The Cathedral of Ravenna or the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Italian Cattedrale della Resurrezione di Nostro Signore Gesù) is a Roman Catholic church in the western part of the old town of Ravenna in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The cathedral of the Archdiocese of Ravenna-Cervia also serves as a parish church and has the title of minor basilica. The previous building of today's cathedral, the Basilica Ursiana, which dates from the beginning of the 5th century, was demolished in the 18th century and rebuilt in the baroque and classicist style. Since ancient times, the cathedral has been part of the ecclesiastical complex with the archbishop's palace, the archbishop's museum, the cathedral's baptistery from the 5th century and the round campanile begun in the 10th century. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_von_Ravenna