Mantua

Mantua is a city and UNESCO world heritage site on the Lombardy-Veneto border that was a cultural and political center during the 14-17th centuries under the Gonzaga family. Pictured is the Piazza Sordello, with the Palazzo Ducale to the right and Church of San Pietro di Mantova on the right.

Mantua is surrounded by multiple man made lakes, derived from the Mincio River, designed for its defense. An excellent free place to park is near the old harbor.

Mantua was originally an Etruscan village that most likely derived its name from the god Mantus, but there are other theories.

Old wall painting can still be seen all over the city. Mantua's sigil is a yellow and black striped banner.

The Castle of St. George is the strong point of the sprawling Ducal Palace, built up by the Gonzaga family.

Some of the hallways felt like you were getting on an amusement park ride.

Impressive antique style ceiling painting.

The famous Camera degli Sposi (bridal chamber) fresco room by Andrea Mantegna.

This 15th century dish probably wasn't a cherished family heirloom.

St. Barbara's Church is part of the compound, with numerous reliquaries built into the walls.

Mantua is famous for supposedly obtaining some of Christ's blood in the 1300s. It is now stored under the Basilica of Sant' Andrea.

The Gonzaga family drove the ruling Bonacolsi family out of Mantua and took over the city in 1328.

The ceilings are varied, but all opulent.

Can you find the horses peering from behind the curtains?

The eagle is a symbol of the Gonzaga family, and they are helping hold up the ceiling in this room.

This ceiling is a maze.

More opulent hallways.

Wall painting.

A wall paining depicting the Trojan horse and a 11th century recreation of a Roman relief. The Trojan war paintings were a homage to the sack of Rome that occurred in 1527 during Federico II Gonzaga's rule. Federico, who had been a hostage of Pope Julius II as a child, was appointed a general by Pope Leo X to fight the Holy Roman Empire. When his brother, Ferrante Gonzaga, marched on Rome as a condottiero general fighting for Imperial forces, Federico let him pass through Mantua unimpaired.

This one was pretty strange. The sigil of the Gonzaga house is on top.

There are many peaceful gardens on the grounds.

The Rotonda di San Lorenzo is next to the Mantua clocktower, further south into town. The church was built in the 11th century.

The Basilica of Sant' Andrea looms over the city. The church took over 300 years of Gonzaga rule to complete.

The Blood of Christ is kept in the church's crypt, and is only taken out for public view during Good Friday.

The Gonzaga family is still around today. Maurizio Gonzaga was a prominent Italian general during World War 1.

Altino

Altino (Altinum in Latin) was the ancient precursor to Venice. Humans have been living there since at least the 400s BC.

Over 200 pre-Roman tombs have been unearthed at Altino. The city is named after a local god, Altno.

Contents of tombs.

Many other civilizations' gods were worshiped in Altino, including Belatukadro, the Celtic god of war.

The Venetic language of Altino was written in the Etruscan alphabet, but sounded more like Latin.

Horses were a sign of status in the ancient Veneto region. Over 30 horse skeletons have been unearthed in pre-Roman Altino, most likely victims of sacrifice in connection with the Cult of the Sun.

Altino likely became a Roman city in the 100s BC. The Via Annia linked it to Rome and Aquileia, and the city, equidistant between Ravenna and Aquileia became an important Adriatic trade hub.

Altino in the 2nd century AD.

Roman painting fragments.

Roman keys and lamps.

Roman gravestone.

Reproduction of a Roman fishing net.

Roman gladiator toy.

Half of Altino's population under Roman rule were slaves or freed slaves, mostly Greek in origin.

Italian soldiers were trained in Altino during WW1.

Altino was destroyed by Attila the Hun in 452 AD. During the next 200 years, most of the populace moved into the Venetian lagoon to avoid barbarian threats. By the 11th century the city was abandoned, until a new village of Altino was founded in the 15th century. Over the years, Venice has helped itself to many of Altino's antiquities, and incorporated them into the serene city.

The National Archaeological Museum of Altino is in the process of being developed, but is still an impressive gem just outside of Venice.

Ravenna

Ravenna was a capital of the Roman Empire and is famous for its restored Byzantine mosaics. 

Some mosaics are newer.

This is an easy loop around the city center. We parked near Theoderic's Mausoleum.

Ravenna became the capital of the Western Roman Empire in 402 AD when Emperor Honorius moved it there from Milan (Mediolanum). Ravenna was naturally defended by a swamp (that it is no longer surrounded by) and had a port that facilitated trade with the Eastern Roman Empire.

Neonian Baptistery

The oldest building in Ravenna is the Neonian Baptistery.

The structure and its mosaics were completed by Bishop Neon at the end of the 5th century.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was built in the 5th century and commissioned by its namesake.

Galla Placidia was the daughter of the last Emperor of a united Roman Empire, Theodosius I, and half-sister of Western Emperor Honorious. She is not buried in the Mausoleum but in Rome, where she died after living through the sack of Rome by Alaric the Visigoth, marrying his son, Ataulf, and then the Western Roman Emperor, Constatius III. She also served as regent for her son, Valentinian III.

Mausoleum of Theoderic

One of the oldest buildings in Ravenna is the Mausoleum of Theoderic, built in 520 AD. Theoderic was an Ostrogothic king who overthrew Odoacer, a barbarian Roman soldier that ended the Western Roman Empire and founded the Kingdom of Italy. Theoderic made peace with Odoacer in 493 and signed a treaty with him. A banquet was held after the treaty was signed; that night Theoderic delivered a toast to Odoacer, then stabbed him through the chest, killing him. Theoderic recognized nominal suzerainty of the Eastern Roman Emperor, but de facto ruled Italy independently until his death. He was buried in his Mausoleum in 526. By 540, despite the efforts of his daughter Amalasunta, a Byzantine general, Belisarius, captured Ravenna, scattered his bones, and converted the Mausoleum into a church. His statue in the tomb was taken to Pavia in the Middle Ages and later destroyed by Jacobins during the French Revolution.


Arian Baptistry

The Arian Baptistry was built in the beginning of the 6th century at the behest of Theodoric the Great, and is similar in style to the Neonian Baptistry. Arianism states that Jesus as the Son was subordinate to God, his father, a heresy in the eyes of the Orthodox trinity.

Theodoric and most of the Goths were Arians, but coexisted peacefully with Orthodox Christians in Ravenna, albeit in separate neighborhoods.

The original mosaics were lost after Arianism was suppressed by the Eastern Roman Empire when they recaptured the city.

Another UNESCO recognized church, the Archbishop's Chapel, housed in the Archiepiscopal Museum, also contains anti-Arian imagery (and no pictures are allowed!)

Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo

The Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo, dedicated in 504, was commissioned by Theoderic at the same time as the Arian Baptistry.

  In 561 it was reconsecrated on order of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Its name was changed in 856 when relics of Saint Apollinaris were moved to the church from Sant' Apollinare in Classe, another UNESCO recognized church  in Ravenna (to protect them from pirates)

Ruins of Ravenna's ancient port can be visited on the outskirts of the city.

Old Justinian!

Basilica of San Vitale

The Basilica of San Vitale is the crown jewel of Ravenna.

It was begun by the Ostrogoths and completed in 547 by the Bishop of Ravenna, and includes famous depictions of Emperor Justinian I and Empress Theodora (and some eunuchs).

Justinian ordered his general Belisarius to reconquer much of the Western Roman Empire.

He succeeded in recapturing most of Italy by 540, but by 575, the Lombards had invaded and only a few cities, including Ravenna, remained in Byzantine hands.

Empress Theodora

General Belisarius is to the left of Emperor Justinian. Eunuch General Narses is to the right.

Papal States and Ravenna

The Lombards finally conquered Ravenna in 751, only to quickly lose it to the Papal States on order of the Franks. Charlemagne took many mosaics from Ravenna to his capital in Aachen.

Dante and Ravenna

After being exiled from Florence during the Guelph-Ghibelline conflict, Dante Alighieri moved to Ravenna in 1318, where he finished Paradiso.

Dante was sent on a diplomatic mission to Venice in 1321 on behalf of Ravenna; the Venetians did not regard him as important enough to warrant a mainland escort, which forced him to navigate the marshes between the two cities. On the way back from Venice he contracted Malaria and died soon after, and was buried in Ravenna.

Venice and Ravenna

Ravenna was ruled by Venice during parts of the 15th and 16th centuries.

During that time, they built Brancaleone (Lion's Claw) Fortress, which is now a beautiful public park. The Monster or Ravenna was also born during this period.

Ravenna also has some excellent street art, pizza, and geese!