holga_style_2, originally uploaded by out_of_0rd3r.
One of the famous Byzantine sites that form part of the heritage precinct at Ravenna in Italy. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia was built in 425-30 AD. It has the shape of a Greek cross. The cupola is mosaicked with designs including eight apostles with the remaining four on the vaults of the transverse arms and Christ over the door. It actually formed the oratory of a wider church: the Holy Cross.
Sarcophagus, originally uploaded by James Macdonald.
The sarcophagus supposedly holds the remains of devout Catholic Galla Placidia, the daughter of Roman Emperor Theodosius I and his second wife Galla who herself was the the daughter of Emperor Valentinian I. The problem is that it doesn’t. Her embalmed body remained there until 1577 when the contents of the sarcophagus were accidentally burned.
The remining two sarcophagi are said to belong to Emperoro Valentinian III or to her brother Emporer Honorius, and to her husband Emperoro Constantius III
The window above the sarcophagus is actually a sheet of very thin stone rather than glass. The fellow with the Bible is St Lawrence the martyr and the gospels are to be found within that cabinet.
67.meander-Galla-Placidia, originally uploaded by designucdavis.
A closeup of that maze like pattern…
il buon pastore, originally uploaded by James Macdonald.
A young looking Christ as the Good shepherd. And note the beautiful flowerlike designs on the ceiling.
Dome ceiling, originally uploaded by James Macdonald.
The central ceiling.
mausoleum of Galla Placidia, originally uploaded by saintpeg.
