Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna

Discover stunning 6th-century mosaics and serene early Christian architecture in a contemplative setting just outside Ravenna.

Sant’Apollinare in Classe stands just outside Ravenna on the site of the former port district and was built in the 6th century. The basilica is best known for the mosaic in the apse, where Saint Apollinaris appears in an idealised symbolic landscape beneath a transfigured Christ. The nave, lined with ancient columns, has a dignity and clarity characteristic of early Christian architecture. Its situation away from the city gives it a slightly more contemplative atmosphere.