Arian Baptistery

Tucked on a quiet street behind a modern square, the Arian Baptistery is the smallest and easiest to overlook of Ravenna's UNESCO monuments, and one of the most rewarding. Theodoric the Ostrogoth built it around the end of the fifth century for his Arian congregation, the Christian community that followed a different creed from the Roman church. Its plan is a simple octagon of brick, now sitting a little below street level, but inside the dome is a mosaic of rare brightness. At the centre Christ is baptised in the Jordan by John the Baptist, with the river god leaning on a reed in the corner, and around them the twelve apostles walk in a circle toward a jewelled empty throne, with Peter and Paul leading and the others carrying crowns. Compared with the Neonian Baptistery, the colours are fresher and the style more open and light.

The significance of the building goes beyond the mosaic. Theodoric ruled Italy as an Arian Christian over a largely Catholic population, and his policy was tolerant, building Arian churches in Ravenna alongside the existing ones. This baptistery is one of the few Arian monuments to survive, since after the Byzantine conquest most were rededicated or demolished. It gives a tangible sense of the religious mix of Ravenna around the year 500 and of a king who wanted his people to have a distinctive but equally splendid sacred architecture.

The dome decoration follows the same theme as the Neonian Baptistery but with a gentler hand, and comparing the two is one of the most instructive exercises a visitor can do.

The mosaic uses a brilliant blue and gold ground with white-robed apostles, and the throne at the centre of the lower circle holds a cross and a purple cloth. Look closely and you will see the figures stand on a green meadow that curves with the dome. The space is intimate, so you will want to spend a moment on the central floor and look up. Some details are restored, and the lower walls have lost their original marble, but the dome remains deeply moving.

Entry is usually free, and there are typically limited opening hours with staff on site, so check times locally. The baptistery is only a short walk from Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, which makes the pair a natural combined stop. The stop only takes ten to fifteen minutes, which makes it ideal for filling a gap before lunch. Because it does not require a ticket, it is also a good choice for visitors on a short stopover or a tight budget, and it rounds out an understanding of the city's two baptisteries.