Which Byzantine church in Ravenna has a famous octagonal central plan?
Answer
Basilica of San Vitale
The Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna has a famous octagonal central plan.
Construction began under Ostrogothic rule in the sixth century and was completed after Justinian’s reconquest of Ravenna. The building’s central space is surrounded by an ambulatory and galleries, producing a complex, vertically arranged interior.
San Vitale is especially celebrated for its sixth-century mosaics. Panels show Emperor Justinian, Empress Theodora, clergy, soldiers, and biblical scenes. The architecture and decoration together express imperial Christianity in Ravenna.
San Vitale is sometimes confused with Ravenna’s basilicas that have long rectangular plans, such as Sant’Apollinare Nuovo. Its octagonal organization instead places it among important late antique centralized buildings, although its structure is not identical to that of Hagia Sophia.