The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, built by Theoderic (493-526) next to his palace, was originally used as a Palatine Church of Arian religion. After the Byzantine reconquest and consecration to the orthodox faith (mid-6th century), the Basilica was dedicated to St. Martin, bishop of Tours. Tradition has it that in 9th century the relics of St. Apollinaris were removed from the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe and transported here. On that occasion, the church was dedicated to Saint Apollinaris and called “Nuovo” (new) in order to differentiate it from the church of the same name in Classe.


The gabled façade of the Basilica is marked by two side pilasters and provided with a mullioned window, topped by two small openings. Originally, it was probably delimited by a four-sided porch; today it is decorated with a simple but well-balanced 16th-century marble porch. On the right side of the façade rises a cylindrical bell-tower dating back to the 9th or 10th century.

Inside the building, you can admire the magnificent mosaic decoration of the original church documenting the stylistic, iconographical and ideological evolution of Byzantine wall mosaics from the era of Theoderic to that of Justinian. The 26 christological scenes from the period of Theoderic are one of the biggest monumental cycles and, at the same time, the most ancient original mosaic work on the New Testament of all times.