The Arian Baptistery in Ravenna, Italy, is UNESCO-listed as an excellently preserved example of an early Christian monument with a Late Antiquity mosaic.
The Arian Baptistery is one of eight monuments in Ravenna inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list as early Christian monuments and Late Antiquity (or Byzantine) mosaics. It is less famous than some of the other sites but it is small and worth a few minutes when walking from Sant’Apollinare Nuovo to other sites in Ravenna. The Arian Baptistery is mostly visited to admire its well-preserved domed mosaic showing a beardless Christ being baptized by John the Baptist.
Theodoric the Great and Arianism in Ravenna
Theodoric the Great (456 – 526) was the king of the Ostrogoths, amongst other titles. During the fifth century, Theodoric and around 200,000 Ostrogoths settled in Italy. They were Christians but subscribed to the Arian doctrine – something that had been declared a heresy already at the Council of Nicea in 325.
The main difference between Arianism and orthodox doctrine is about the Holy Trinity. To really simplify things: Arianism considers Jesus Christ not to be co-eternal and divine, as was God the Father. For Arians, the Son of God was created by God the Father and “grew” into the role of being God. Christ in Arian iconography is often shown beardless as a young man, which is fairly uncommon (but not unknown) in orthodox art.
- See the New Advent for more (a lot more!) on Arianism.
However, with Theodoric firmly in control of Ravenna and most of Italy, few dared speak out too firmly against Arianism. Theodoric initially mostly tolerated other beliefs and doctrines. However, during his reign, Ravenna was mostly divided into Arian and Orthodox (later Roman Catholic) sections. Each had their own churches, baptisteries, and other religious sites for separate worship.
The conflict between Arianism and Orthodoxy was a major influence on political developments in the fifth and sixth centuries, as there was no distinction between church and state. However, from 540, Ravenna came under the direct control of Constantinople with Arianism increasingly sidelined and eventually banned.
Many works depicting Arian iconography were subsequently removed from churches — see, for example, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo — while others, such as this baptistery, were converted to a private oratory.
Arian Baptistery in Ravenna
The Arian Baptistery in Ravenna was originally part of a cathedral erected by Ostrogothic King Theodoric in the late fifth, early sixth century. The church has since been rebuilt smaller.
This small baptistery was long a part of other complexes and surrounded or attached to other structures.
It is only the destructive consequences of Allied bombings in the Second World War that allow us to see the baptistery freestanding.
The Arian Baptistery is a small octagonal brick building. It has four flat sides with small protruding apses from the remaining four sides.
Like most other buildings in Ravenna dating from Late Antiquity, the Arian Baptistery has also sunk into the ground. The floor is now more than 2 m (7 ft) below street level.
The Mosaics in the Arian Baptistery
Inside, the walls are bare — they were originally covered by frescoes. However, the dome has its original mosaic of Jesus Christ being baptized by John the Baptist with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove looking on. An old man in green looks on as a pagan god representing the River Jordan.
A band featuring the twelve apostles carrying crowns encircles the central medallion. Peter carries keys while Paul has a scroll.
The themes of the mosaics here are quite similar to the older ones in the Neonian Baptistery, but the execution is quite different. Although both depict Christ, somewhat unusually, in full frontal nudity, the beardless Jesus in the Arian Baptistery is clearly the younger man. In the Arian version, Christ is physically at the center of the mosaic and also suspended in water without firm foundations under his feet. (Compare with Giotto’s early 14th-century fresco in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.)
The iconography of the mosaics is considered significant as it displays the holy trinity, something that Arians did not believe in, and the main point of difference with the orthodox doctrine. It is considered likely that the artists were local Orthodox artists, as the Ostrogoths were not generally considered skillful in the art of mosaics.
Visiting the Arian Baptistery in Ravenna
Admission to the Arian Baptistery is only €2 and not included in any of the Ravenna Mosaic passes. Children under 18 enter for free, but get a free ticket from the machine. Admission is free for all on the first Sunday of the month.
Buy tickets from the ticket machine, online, or in person from the Ravenna National Museum — not from the ticket office of the main mosaic sites. The ticket machine outside the Arian Baptistery resembles a car parking ticket machine. English instructions are stuck to the machine, but the attendants frequently help visitors (and probably also think simply collecting the €2 coin at entry would be simpler for all).
The Arian baptistery is open daily from 9:00 to noon and additionally from 14:00 to 17:00 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The Arian Baptistery is easily seen when en route to or from Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, which is also closely associated with Theodoric and the Arians, and one of the major mosaic sights in Ravenna.
NEXT: Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
More Articles on Ravenna, Italy
Time-slot reservations are currently essential to see the Mausoleum of Galla Placida and the Neonian Baptistry in Ravenna. This is easiest done when buying the tickets online.
- Top Sights to See in Ravenna
- UNESCO-Listed Sites in Ravenna
- Visiting UNESCO-Listed Sites in Ravenna – Opening Hours and Tickets
- Neonian Baptistery & Archbishop’s Chapel
- Arian Baptistery
- Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
- Basilica of San Vitale
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
- Mausoleum of Theodoric
- Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe
- National Museum of Ravenna
- Transportation to Ravenna. Book luggage storage online for stopovers or check cheap hotel prices.
Book Guided tours of Ravenna — tours are generally three hours. For tours not including admission fees, around €12 per person must be added. Small groups and families may find better value in private tours.
