Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy by Artur Staszewski

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Typical tower houses, each in different colour, have about 3 to 4 floors. They have two entrances: the front and rear, which allows direct access to upper floors. In the upper part of Riomaggiore there is the Church of San Giovanni Battista, built in 1340 by Antonio Fieschi, bishop of Luni. Just above the church there is the Castle of Riomaggiore, which dates back to the 13th century. It dominates the village from the hill. Interesting is also the 16th century oratory of the Disciplinati also called “church of the Confraternita dell’Assunta”.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Richard, enjoy my life!

But the most beautiful and famous part of Riomaggiore is Via dell’Amore – a hiking trail across the charming countryside leading to the near Manarola. The trail has been closed at the end of the 80s because of a lot of landslides. Thanks to the financing of the European Union in 1995 some renovation works were begun and finally the “Via dell’Amore” was reopened and you can now admire the breathtaking views from the trail.

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Piazza del Popolo, Ravenna, Italy by freshcreator

The most popular attraction in the city is the Mausoleo di Galla Placidia which is the resting place of Emperor Theodosius I’s daughter, Aelia Galla Placidia. The mosaics found within the mausoleum date back to the 5th century and today are considered some of the most well-preserved in the world.

Back when the city was first being developed, by Bishop Ursus was built a mammoth basilica in Ravenna. Most of the basilica was destroyed back in 1734 and the only part that remains today is the Battistero degli Ortodossi. You will also find nearby, the Battistero degli Ariani which has an amazing mosaic of the baptism of Christ.

There are many other popular structures in Ravenna that have been built over the centuries. While not dating back to the 5th century, many of these sites have none the less been well preserved over the years. There is the ancient Palatine church of Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo which features mosaics that depicts both Christian and Arian beliefs. The Basilica di San Vitale was built back in the 6th century which is also another very popular attraction in Ravenna.

You will also find the Dante Museum in Ravenna which is dedicated to the world renowned author, Dante Alighieri. Known for having been banished from Florence because of authoring the Divine Comedy, Dante spent the remainder of his life in Ravenna where he died in 1789.

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