Wed 15. [15 April 1896] Woke much rested to the most delicious
sunshining morning, full of the Spring. Out early to the Duomo where
there are lovely marble columns; then to the Archbishop's chapel
where we saw wonderful mosaics and S. Giovanni in Fonte where
round the spandrils of the arches are the most gorgeous acanthus
decorations in mosaic and fine figures of the prophets; then through
several churches all with fine marble columns and carved Byzantine
capitals with imposts above them; finally to Sant Apollinare in Citta
where there is a grand procession of white robed men and women all
down the nave above the arches, and to Theodoric's palace of which
only the brick front remains. Home to lunch and at 2.30 out to Sant
Apollinare in Classe driving through a flat flat plain with the fields
mostly below the level of the road and the Apennines ahead of us.
Magnificent place; climbed to the top of the tower and saw the
Pinetum and the sea beyond. Back by Santa Maria in Porto Fuori
where there are frescoes by pupils of Giotto's and a portrait of him
and of Francesca da Rimini. Then to Theodoric's solid barbarous
tomb standing in a little garden and home by S. Vitale which is like St
Sophia inside and has the most gorgeous green and gold choir of
mosaics. Next door is Galla Placidia's tomb with mosaics mostly of
dark blue and patterns of acanthus and stags drinking at fountains.
Inside her sarcophagus she sat in state until in the 18th century some
mischievous children dropped a match in and burnt her to cinders. At
dinner arrived Mr Hogarth and Lady Galloway.