Ceiling of Mausoleum

Hector Ezelhaar

It was built by Theodoric himself in 520 as his tomb. Its structure, which is divided in two decagonal orders one above the other, is completely made of Istria stone. It is roofed with a single block of Istria stone of 10 metres diameter weighing 300 tons. A niche leads down to a room which was probably a chapel for funeral liturgies. A stair leads to the upper floor where there is a circular porphyry tub in which it is supposed that Theodoric was buried. His remains were removed during Byzantine rule.

National Museum

Housed in the cloisters of the ex-Benedictine Monastery, in the monumental complex of San Vitale, the National Museum includes important collections of minor arts among which some funeral steles and epigraphs, various archaeological fragments, a collection of textiles (from Coptic to Renaissance), an important collection of ivories, a rich collection of icons, a coins and medals section and a fascinating collection of ancient weapons. It also houses the 14th century cycle of frescoes of Santa Chiara which decorated the church of the Poor Clare Sisters in Ravenna, today the Rasi Theatre. There are also floor mosaics from the archaeological complex in Via D'Azeglio, found in 1993 during reconstruction work on a building. After careful restoration work they were put on show in 1995.