Chiesa di Santa Barbara

Near Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the former church of Santa Barbara preserves a record of Ravenna's monastic, parochial and civic history. Its plain brick façade and a small ceramic mosaic by Space Invader mark the building's successive layers.

Why it matters

Santa Barbara belongs to a group of smaller churches that document the changing uses of Ravenna's religious buildings. It was associated with the Benedictine convent attached to Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, served as a parish for centuries, and later passed through suppression and secular uses.

What to notice

The brick façade retains the simple form of the church's historic fabric. A ceramic mosaic by the artist Space Invader adds a contemporary detail to the exterior. Its location near Sant'Apollinare Nuovo evokes the relationship between the larger basilica and the monastic church that served its convent.

Context and history

The church is documented by about 1109 and belonged to the Benedictine community associated with Sant'Apollinare Nuovo. From 1513 to 1821 it served as a parish church. Following Napoleonic suppression, its parish was merged with Santa Maria in Porto and the building was deconsecrated and sold. Bomb damage during the Second World War and later workshop use preceded its private restoration.