Mausoleum of Theodoric: Attraction informations

Theodoric’s Mausoleum is just a few steps away from Ravenna’s city centre and it’s one of the 8 early Christian monuments of the city, recognised as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1996. Among these 8, the mausoleum is the only one that is entirely built in stone and that lacks a mosaic decoration.

The mausoleum derives most of its charm from the building material, the clear and shining Istrian stone as well as from its shape. The mausoleum consists of two main bodies placed one on top of the other, namely a decagonal-shaped base and an upper round space, which lend the building a unique look in Ravenna’s architectural scene.

The real mystery of Theodoric’s mausoleum is the monolith covering the upper part of the building. According to the experts, this dome is said to weigh 230 tons and is decorated with the names of eight apostles and the four evangelists, carved inside 12 hollows.
The way the monolith was transported to the top of the building is still unclear. According to some scholars, it could have been lifted during the construction of the mausoleum, while others believe it may have been carried on a boat after the creation of an artificial pond.

The interiors

Theodoric, the king of the Ostrogoths rulers of Ravenna, had this building built in 520 AD as his future tomb. The place of his burial has been identified with a space on the upper floor, accessible by an external ladder.

While entering the building, the eye gets easily caught by the porphyry tub where Theodoric probably rested till 561 AD, when the building was turned into an Orthodox oratory by the Byzantine emperor Justinian.

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