THE PLACES OF THE SOUL

Written by RavennaMyWay. Posted in Art and Faith

The hinterland of Ravenna, is full of Romanesque churches. Combining features of Roman and Byzantine buildings and other local traditions, Romanesque architecture is known by its massive quality, thick walls, round arches, sturdy columns, large towers and groined vaults. Since the Byzantium time until the conquest of the Lombards in the year 751, the territory yet documents the roots of early Christianity. The Romanesque churches still dot the plain and propose an historical, artistic and spiritual itinerary that combines art, landscapes, products of the countryside with its gastronomy.

Duration: full day
Minimum number of participants: 3 people
Price per person: from 75 euro
Details: can be done by bike or by car

The offer includes:

- Guided tour realized by professional teams.
- Lunch with home made pasta, piadina party with salami and squacquerone cheese, local wine.

Bike rental on demand.

We start from Ravenna and we stop in Godo (here, in Roman times, there was a ford of the Tegurio river). Here we can admire the Parish Church of St. Stephen, similar to the original despite the widespread destruction of the Second World War. After that, we move to the Pieve of San Pancrazio di Russi, one of the oldest Romanesque churches. An inside inscription shows its dating 963dc but the construction is protoromanica (eighth century), or commissioned by Galla Placidia, as the legend.

We move to S. Pietro in Trento and Pisignano.

The parish of San Pietro in Trento is located between the courses of the Montone and Ronco rivers. The name derives from the church’s location at mile thirty (according to Roman land division criteria). The three-aisled church is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, and is largely constructed of reused material. The façade has a large double-lancet above the portal. There are four pilaster strips on the façade that demarcate the interior subdivision of the nave.

Built in the 10th century, the parish of Santo Stefano Protomartire stands in the middle of a green park and is destination for tourists and Pilgrims, common heritage of Faith and Art. The buildins is constructed in the form of a basilica, in deutero or proto-Bizantyne-Romanesque style, with 3 aisles divided by 4 arches resting on pillars characteristic shaped T. The material used is cooked, from the remains of the previous building. It is immediatly, when you enter, breathing an evocative atmosphere of sacredness.

We continue our ride to Brisighella.
Here we take a deserved rest, tasting local products in the splendid setting of this medieval town.
Here, after the lunch, we will visit the church of San Giovanni Battista, commonly referred to as either “pieve in Ottavo” or “pieve Tho”, that is without a doubt the most important monument of the territory of Brisighella. The name Tho, or Tottavo, derives from its position along the Via Emilia, located at the 8th mile from Faenza.

We return to our meeting point in Ravenna visiting the Pieve di San Donato di Polenta, close to Bertinoro. It is a nice location, with great atmosphere... Dante, Carducci, Pascoli and many other important Italian poets visited this church that takes its name from the town where it is located. Is a three-aisled church with three cylindrical apses, and a raised choir, accessible via a stair located in the center of the nave.The ascendance of Lombard and Byzantine cultures was probably maintained in the Romanesque lexicon, and thus the bas-relief decoration of the capitals is particularly significant as a fundamental component of the building.

Last stop of our tour is the Museum of The Three Religions: Jewish, Muslim and Christian.

Finally.... back home to Ravenna.

Informations and reservations: Piera Angela Bezzi

Cell +39 3478004649
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