San Giovanni Evangelista, Ravenna

San Giovanni Evangelista is an Early Christian church in Ravenna featuring a long nave, Gothic marble portal, and fragments of medieval mosaic pavements. The interior decoration reflects different artistic periods in the building's history.

A princess commissioned this church in the early 400s after surviving a dangerous sea journey from Constantinople to Ravenna. The building was later reshaped and received decorations from different time periods.

The chapel displays frescoes showing how religious art was created in northern Italy during the 1300s, reflecting local painting traditions of that era.

The entrance on Via Carducci leads to a cloister with a bell tower where you can explore both interior and exterior areas. Late morning is a good time to visit when natural light illuminates the interior details.

The bell tower holds two original bronze bells from the early 1200s that have been ringing continuously for hundreds of years. These bells rank among the oldest still functioning in the region and mark each day just as they did in medieval times.

Location: Ravenna

Architectural style: Early Christian architecture

Address: piazzale A. Garibaldi ‒ Ravenna (RA)

GPS coordinates: 44.41833,12.20539

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:57