Tag: Byzantine
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Thessaloniki … Cats, churches, monks and monasteries
So today I was out early in my usual search for coffee. Success; not Starbucks. I was on a mission to visit as many of the Byzantine churches included in the UNESCO list for Thessaloniki. I managed nine of the 14. They are rather wonderful. They date from the fourth to the fourteenth centuries and…
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Ravenna III
Baptistery of Neoniano Another beautiful little brick building hiding wonders. Sixth century. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves
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Ravenna II
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia This tiny fifth century brick building is a jewel inside. It looks nothing from the outside but the interior is full of wonders. The mosaics show early Christian iconography and imagery in Byzantine style; very different from our later ways of depicting Christ. It is utterly moving and so beautiful. The…
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The Mosaics of Ravenna I
San Vitale I’ll publish each church separately Begun in 525 this remarkable building was built and later decorated under the aegis of the Emperor Justinian and his wife, the powerful Empress Theodora. Both appear in these fantastic mosaics. They are truly inspirational in scale and workmanship. The photos don’t do them justice … the golden…
Escape to myself 