Classis Ravenna - Museo della Città e del Territorio

Classis Ravenna is a museum of the city and territory at Classe, housed in a former sugar refinery. Its galleries trace Ravenna's history from early settlements through the Roman, Gothic, Byzantine and medieval periods, with archaeological finds from the ancient port.

Why it matters

The museum connects Ravenna's monumental churches with the port, trade and daily life that shaped the city. It presents Classe as the base of the Roman fleet and a major commercial centre of late antiquity. The conversion of the former refinery into a museum also makes the industrial building part of the area's history.

What to notice

The entrance ramp features the 33-metre Mosaico dell'Onda, created by the RavennAntica restoration laboratory as an image of the city's relationship with the sea. A chronological display follows the territory from Etruscan-Umbrian origins through Roman, Gothic, Byzantine and medieval Ravenna. Objects from the port excavations include amphorae, lamps, ceramics and coins. A floor mosaic associated with Theodoric's palace and displays about the former sugar factory add further layers to the story.

Context and history

Augustus established the eastern Mediterranean fleet at Classe in 27 BCE. The port later supported Ravenna's growth as an imperial capital and commercial centre. The museum also documents the former sugar refinery, which operated until 1982 and employed hundreds of workers. The Fondazione RavennAntica transformed the industrial site into a museum, now one of the principal elements of the Parco Archeologico di Classe alongside the basilica and port area. The project received the Francovich Prize in 2021.