Photo: ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
- Type
- Museum
- Style
- Pre-Romanesque architecture
- Commissioned by
- Theodoric the Great
- Materials
- Istrian stone
- Protection
- Part of UNESCO World Heritage Site
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna
- Coordinates
- 44°25′30″ N, 12°12′33″ E
- Address
- Via delle Industrie, 14, 48122 Ravenna RA
History and description
The Mausoleum of Theodoric (Italian: Mausoleo di Teodorico) is an ancient monument just outside Ravenna, Italy. It was built in AD 520 by Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths, as his future tomb.
Description
The mausoleum's current structure consists of two decagonal orders, one above the other, made of Istrian stone sourced from a quarry approximately 400 kilometres (249 mi) away by land journey. The mausoleum's roof consists of a single carved stone 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter weighing 230 tonnes. A niche leads down to a room that was probably a chapel for funeral liturgies; an external stair leads to the upper floor. Located in the centre of the upper floor is a fragmentary ancient Roman porphyry tub, likely from a bath complex, in which Theodoric was buried. His remains were removed during Byzantine rule, when the mausoleum was turned into a Christian oratory. In the late 19th century, silting from a nearby rivulet that had partly submerged the mausoleum was drained and excavated.
Recognition
It was inscribed with seven other "Early Christian Monuments and Mosaics of Ravenna" buildings as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1996. According to the ICOMOS evaluation, "the significance of the mausoleum lies in its Gothic style and decoration, which owe nothing to Roman or Byzantine art, although it makes use of the Roman stone construction technique of opus quadratum, which had been abandoned four centuries before" and in the fact that "it is the only surviving example of a tomb of a king of this period."
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Mausoleum of Theodoric».
Timeline
- 520sConstruction
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
RavennaTrain, nearest
700 m as the crow flies
Mausoleum of TheodoricVia delle Industrie, 14, 48122 Ravenna RA
Port9.3 km
Aeroporto Gastone Novelli7.0 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore museums in Emilia-Romagna
- Free 1st Sunday
Frequently asked questions
Where is Mausoleum of Theodoric?
Mausoleum of Theodoric is in Ravenna, in the province of Ravenna (Emilia-Romagna), Italy. Address: Via delle Industrie, 14, 48122 Ravenna RA. GPS coordinates: 44.42505, 12.20917.
Can I visit Mausoleum of Theodoric for free?
Yes: entry is free on the first Sunday of every month, under the Italian “Domenica al museo” scheme.
What else is there to see near Mausoleum of Theodoric?
Nearby you’ll find: Brancaleone Fortress (400 m away), Porta Serrata (700 m away), Arian Baptistry (900 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Mausoleum of Theodoric (Ravenna) - Exterior — ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Detail of exterior of Mausoleum of Theodoric, 520; Ravenna (1) (48799543556) — Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, CC BY 2.0
- Detail of exterior of Mausoleum of Theodoric, 520; Ravenna (2) (48799188308) — Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, CC BY 2.0
- Detail of exterior of Mausoleum of Theodoric, 520; Ravenna (3) (48799535566) — Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, CC BY 2.0
- IL BARBARO MAUSOLEO-Mausoleo di Teodorico-Ravenna (RA)-ID 08H1990013 — Marcospinelli1959, CC BY-SA 4.0
- IL FUTURO HA UN CUORE ANTICO-Mausoleo di Teodorico-Ravenna (RA)-ID 08H1990013 — Marcospinelli1959, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mausoleo di Teodorico (520 d.C.) Ravenna - panoramio — Fabio Poggi, CC BY 3.0
- Mausoleo di Teodorico 16-12 — _o0OKO0o_, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mausoleo di Teodorico WLM23 001 — Mentnafunangann, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences