The Colosseum, Essay Example

Built in Ravenna, Italy, the Mausoleum of GallaPlacidia stands as an early Christian relic and was built for her namesake, GallaPlacidia. GallaPlacidia is a medieval funerary chapel adorned with ornate flowers and other motifs. Although debate still lingers as to the exact date of the chapel’s groundbreaking, it was built in the fifth century. Although the chapel has the name “mausoleum” in the title, there is also a large amount of debate as to the exact function of GallaPlacidia. The fact that GallaPlacidia was once attached to the church Santa Croce reinforces this idea of it being a mausoleum (West 13).

GallaPlacidia is built with brick and a basic crucifix form to its layout. The top of the building is adorned with a dome “that is concealed by a rectangular tower with a four-slope roof” (West 14). The building also hosts many vertical windows whose panes have replaced over the centuries. The frescoes above the door are carved cats that are Christian symbols of Kings or Christ. Inside the building is made of marbled walls that host a plethora of florid designs that symbolize gardens that in turn are part of a funerary tradition (as in flowers and funerals are intertwined). The ceilings and walls are ornate in their mosaics thatare a typical predilection of architects during the early Christian era. The motif is a biblical story as it represents Evangelists, eagles, and the “Four living creatures of the apocalypse” (West 16). These speak to the Christian held beliefs of the time.

Works Cited

West, Lisa O. Reevaluating the Mausoleum of GallaPlacidia. May 2003. Web. 19 June 2014.