Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Byzantine basilica in Classe, Italy
Sant'Apollinare in Classe is an early Christian church on the southeastern edge of Ravenna in Emilia-Romagna. It stands in pale limestone with three longitudinal naves, a semicircular apse at the eastern end, and a freestanding cylindrical bell tower beside the facade.
Construction began in the 5th century funded by the banker Julius Argentarius, who also financed San Vitale. In 549 the building was consecrated by Archbishop Maximian and served as the diocesan episcopal seat until 1960.
The name refers to Saint Apollinaris and to Classe, the ancient port of Ravenna. The interior floor displays tomb slabs of former archbishops marked with Latin inscriptions.
The building stands a few kilometers outside central Ravenna in open countryside. The level structure is easy to walk and wheelchair-friendly, with enough daylight inside for visits into the late afternoon.
In the upper part of the apse a mosaic shows twelve lambs emerging from the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Above the triumphal arch further motifs appear with doves and palms, pointing to the Eucharist and paradise.
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