Santa Maria in Porto Basilica, Minor basilica in Ravenna, Italy.
Santa Maria in Porto Basilica is a church in Ravenna featuring a baroque facade designed by Camillo Morigia and completed in 1784, positioned on via Roma near the historic city gate. The building shares its grounds with a former monastery complex, part of which serves as the municipal art gallery since 1972.
Construction began in 1553 following Pope Julius II's commission to architect Bernardino Tavella, with the building formally consecrated in 1606. The extended construction period reflects the importance placed on this religious structure in Ravenna's development.
Monks of the Order of Saint Paul celebrate Mass here regularly, keeping alive a tradition of prayer and worship that shapes daily life in the church. Visitors can experience these services and see how the basilica remains central to the spiritual practices of its community.
The basilica is easy to visit and stands near other religious monuments in Ravenna, making it convenient to include in a walking tour of the city. Because the former monastery now houses the municipal art gallery, visitors can explore both spaces in a single visit.
Inside the basilica resides an icon called the Greek Madonna, which received a ceremonial crowning in 1900. This special rite marked an 800-year commemoration of the image's reported appearance and remains a defining element of the church's character.
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