Church of San Vitale - Ravenna, Italy
Posted by: 
hykesj
N 44° 25.207 E 012° 11.782
33T E 276811 N 4922359
The ancient church of San Vitale in Ravenna appears on this 1997 postage stamp, part of Italy’s long-running tourism series.
Waymark Code: WM19TEJ
Location: Emilia–Romagna, Italy
Date Posted: 04/09/2024
Views: 0
In 1997, Poste Italiane continued its long-running annual tradition (this was the 24th installment) of issuing a set of four tourism postage stamps. As Italy is a tourism mecca, there certainly has been no shortage of subject matter. This particular stamp shows the church of San Vitale and a detail of a mosaic in the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, two of the top tourist destinations in Ravenna.
The church of San Vitale dates from the sixth century and is one of the best-preserved examples of early Byzantine art and architecture outside of Istanbul. The exterior may not be that exciting, but the interior is lavishly decorated with mosaics executed in the Hellenistic-Roman tradition with rich and vivid colors, a certain perspective, and with an abundance of plants and birds. This type of mosaic has come to be known as the jeweled style of Late Roman Antiquity.
The mosaics show several scenes from the Old Testament, namely Cain and Abel, Abraham and Melchizedek, Moses and the burning bush, several prophets and representatives of the twelve tribes as well as the New Testament Evangelists and other symbolic representations. There are also two large mosaics showing the Emperor Justinian I and his wife Theodora. These mosaics are among the most important and most studied works of Byzantine art in the world. The stamp actually shows a detail from one of Ravenna’s mosaics, but it is not from the church of San Vitale, rather it is from the nearby Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
The church of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and six other buildings in Ravenna were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site 1996.
Stamp Issuing Country: Italy
Date of Issue: 17-May-1997
Denomination: 800 l
Color: multicolored
Stamp Type: Single Stamp
Relevant Web Site: Not listed
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