Rasponi Crypt and Roof Gardens of the Provincia
Location
In the heart of Ravenna, nearby the Tomb of the famous poet Dante Alighieri, art treasure and nature live together creating this beautiful site which was also the setting of the love between the poet Lord Byron, during his journey in Ravenna and the Countessin Teresa Guiccioli.
It’s a beautiful garden offering impressive panoramic views.
In the centre of the garden there is a Neogothic tower leading to the Rasponi Crypt, probably dating from the end of the 18th century.
The noble residence was destroyed in 1922 and then completely rebuilt in Twenties as the Palazzo della Provincia, designed by the architect Giulio Ulisse Arata. The crypt consists of three areas. Its most impressive feature is the mosaic pavement, coming from Classe, probably from the Church of San Severo (VI century), and features ornamental motifs and polychrome animal figures – ducks, geese, ram’s heads and serpents – which attest to the proficiency of Ravenna’s master mosaicists.
A flight of stairs leads from the crypt to Belvedere overlooking Piazza San Francesco. These stairs open onto a roof garden which leads to a nearby terrace above the vault, with a panoramic view of the city.
