The northern Italian region of Emilia Romagna has announced that the city of Ravenna will be home to Royal Caribbean’s new Italy port. Situated along the Adriatic coast, the port in Ravenna, once complete, will be able to serve over 300,000 passengers annually and provide access to neighboring cities like Bologna, Forli, Rimini, and Venice.
Over the past year, Ravenna has been commemorating the 700th anniversary of the death of one of the country’s greatest poets, Dante Alighieri. New tourism projects were launched and the restoration of landmarks undertaken in honor of the celebrations, which will be held through December 2021.
In advance of the anniversary, Dante’s Tomb was restored to return it to its original façade, designed by local architect Camillo Morigia in the 18th century, along with new lighting. Restoration work was also done to the nearby Quadrarco di Braccioforte, also designed by Morigia, which owes its name to an ancient legend of two faithful men who would take the oath invoking the “strong-arm” of Christ.
A few steps from the Tomb are the Dante Museum and Dante’s House.
The Dante Museum, which was inaugurated on May 15, has been rearranged thanks to a project drawn up by a scientific committee with the primary aim of creating an innovative exhibition path for domestic and international visitors to admire the existing heritage—including the box of bones, the wooden ark that house the skeleton and more—tied to Dante’s life through a series of themed rooms.
Meanwhile, the Dante’s House (Casa Dante) project integrates the Museum with a dedicated exhibition area in cooperation with national and international museum institutions. The goal is to offer guests lab activities, a reading and resting space of silent reflection both in the courtyard and the garden, as well as a specialized bookshop and “Design Gallery.” This new gallery will include a bookshop and visitors’ center, with a key focus on the importance of industrial design and visual communication.
Designated one of Emilia Romagna’s Art Cities, Ravenna is designated a UNESCO World Heritage City of Mosaics and is home to eight UNESCO Heritage monuments:
- Basilica of San Vitale
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
- Neonian Baptistery
- Chapel of Sant’Andrea or Archiepiscopal Chapel
- Arian Baptistery
- Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
- Mausoleum of Theodoric
- Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe
For more information, visit emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/towns/ravenna.
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