Basilica of San Vitale, Byzantine basilica in Ravenna, Italy
The Basilica of San Vitale is a sixth-century church in Ravenna built on an octagonal plan, with a raised octagonal drum and a polygonal apse flanked by two small chambers, the prothesis and diaconicon. Its exterior is brick, pale tan and pinkish, with a projecting white stone portal whose carved arch frames a dark green double door. The interior is a double-shelled octagon: an ambulatory and upper gallery surround the central space, whose dome rests on eight piers linked by arches, with columns of marble and capitals carved at Byzantium.
Construction began in 526 under Bishop Ecclesius and was completed in 547 during the reign of Emperor Justinian I. The church was built when Ravenna belonged to the Byzantine Empire and served as a bridge between East and West.
The names of patrons appear in wall mosaics where real faces from the sixth century look directly at visitors. These portraits of emperors, bishops and courtiers convey a sense of power and ceremony from the time when Ravenna served as a capital.
The basilica opens daily for visitors, with certain times reserved for religious services. Guided tours in several languages help interpret the mosaics and architecture.
The dome construction uses hollow tubes in its structure, an early building innovation that anticipated modern clay tile forms. This technique reduced the weight of the dome and allowed for a slimmer construction.
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