Ravenna Italy - Basilica of San Vitale

I had business in the north and took the time to revisit Ravenna. In the Basilica of San Vitale there are 6th-century mosaics which are among the most beautiful in the world. This is from a time before Islam and way before the Protestant Reformation, a time when Rome was well into its decline and Ravenna, being closer to Constantanople, formerly Byzantzium, was ascending in importance. The mind reels with not only the pure beauty of the art but also its significance in history, the history itself.

There was a metal detector going into the place. I guess it was a gun-free zone - also hammer-free I would imagine.