Battistero degli Ariani
The only surviving Arian baptistery, built under Theodoric, with a mosaic dome showing the baptism of Christ and the procession of the apostles.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Arian Baptistery was built towards the end of the 5th century, during the Gothic rule of Theodoric (493–526), for Christians of Arian faith, to complete the ancient Arian cathedral, today the church of the Spirito Santo. It is unique: no other baptistery dedicated to Arian worship has survived. The king’s policy of religious tolerance in fact provided for the coexistence of different Christian confessions.
After the Byzantine conquest of 554 the building was reconciled to Orthodox worship and dedicated to the Virgin Mary; hence the name Santa Maria in Cosmedin, in use from the 7th century. In the 11th century it passed to the Benedictines, then to the secular clergy, and from 1608 to the Theatines. In the 17th century it was incorporated into a nearby building and served as the oratory of the Confraternita della Croce. At the end of the 19th century, having lost all function, it was sold to private owners and risked becoming a warehouse. The State bought it in 1914, and between 1916 and 1919 it was restored.
The building has an octagonal plan and is sunk about 2.5 metres below ground. The interior appears simple, but the dome is covered by a mosaic of glass and gold tesserae: at the centre is the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, and around it the procession of the twelve apostles, led by Peter and Paul, towards a jewelled throne. Today the baptistery is part of the UNESCO heritage.
Highlights
- Mosaic of the dome with the baptism of Christ
- Procession of the twelve apostles towards the jewelled throne
- The only surviving Arian baptistery
- Octagonal plan from the time of Theodoric
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Permanent exhibition
- Cupola a mosaico del battistero – The mosaic in glass and gold tesserae shows the baptism of Christ at the centre, and the procession of the twelve apostles around it.
- Founded
- 401
- Operated by
- Musei nazionali di Ravenna (Ministero della Cultura)
- Visitors per year
- approx. 106,514
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
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Free admission: First Sunday of the month; 25 April, 2 June, 23 July, 30 August, Notte d’Oro, 4 November and 8 November
No reduced ticket is provided. The ticket is bought from the automatic machine on site, online (service fee of 10%), or at the ticket offices of the Mausoleo di Teodorico, Sant’Apollinare in Classe and the Museo Nazionale di Ravenna.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Equipped routes with a platform lift have been restored to overcome architectural barriers.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The baptistery is in Piazzetta degli Ariani, in the historic centre of Ravenna, near the church of the Spirito Santo.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Information and bookings: +39 320 953 9916, prenotazioni@ravennantica.org. Outside, a totem presents historical and artistic information about the monument. |
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