Basilica di San Francesco

The Basilica of San Francesco in Ravenna is a medieval church best known for its flooded crypt, where late-antique floor mosaics remain visible beneath groundwater.

Why it matters

The church connects Ravenna's early Christian history with the Franciscan period and the city's memory of Dante. His funeral rites were held here in 1321, and the basilica lies within the Zona del Silenzio around his tomb. Its sunken apse and water-filled crypt also reveal how the ancient city has subsided over time.

What to notice

The crypt's late-antique mosaics can be seen beneath clear groundwater, with an altar standing over a fifth-century sarcophagus. A ninth-century square bell tower rises above the facade. The church has two rows of columns and a semicircular apse now several metres below the later floor. The da Polenta chapel preserves another ancient sarcophagus associated with the temporary placement of Dante's remains after his funeral.

Context and history

Bishop Neon founded the church in the mid-fifth century as a companion to the cathedral. Initially dedicated to the Holy Apostles, it was later associated with Saint Peter and passed to the Franciscans. The present three-nave structure largely reflects ninth- to eleventh-century rebuilding. Dante's funeral was celebrated here on 13 September 1321. The basilica remains part of the historic quarter around his tomb.