Dante Museum, Ravenna
The Dante Museum (Museo Dantesco) in Ravenna is dedicated to the most famous Italian medieval poet and politician. The museum collection is, first and foremost, focused on studying the city’s impact on man’s life. Numerous images of Dante, documents, and memoirs are stored inside.
History of the Dante Museum
Ravenna itself played a huge role in Dante’s life. This is the exact place where he spent his last years. The poet was banished from Florence because of his political activities. In 1316 Dante ended up in Ravenna, then in 1321 he died and was buried there. The museum was supposed to be a museum that kept relics that belonged to the language theorist. It was designed by local architects Ambrogio Annoni and Corrado Ricci. The opening was held on September 11, 1921, marking the 50th anniversary of Dante’s death. The museum collection was put on display in the western part of the monastery complex owned by the Franciscans. In 1980 the place was modernized. In the early 21st century the exhibition space was reorganized, then in 2013, the museum was opened to the public once again.
Museum’s collection
Museum’s central theme is a compilation of Dante’s depictions that includes busts, paintings, medals and portraits with the great poet portrayed on them. Thanks to those artworks universities recently conducted studies of Alighieri’s physiognomy. The scientists developed a new theory about his appearance.
Museum’s collection is put on display in 4 rooms that are separated by theme.
- The first room. It is dedicated to Dante’s life in Ravenna and his iconography. There is a video with the most famous images that demonstrate his physiognomy and other things, such as busts and replicas of man’s death masks.
- The second room. This is the heart of the museum. A wooden chest in which the Franciscans hid poet’s remains for 200 years to prevent them from being stolen can be found here. These remains were reburied later in 1865.
- Room of Montevideo. This part of the building was created only thanks to the support of the Italians immigrants from Uruguay’s capital. The room boasts bronze accessories that were donated to honor the great poet.
- The fourth room. This is the smallest one. Dante’s portrait painted by Attilio Runcaldier according to the marble bas-relief that decorates the poet’s grave. There is also a replica of the sculpture of Mary holding the infant behind the glass door (the original artwork is kept in the Louvre.) It probably served as an embellishment for the chapel where Dante was buried before.
The museum offers interactive multimedia content. The first room has a device with a touch screen where visitors can learn information about Dante’s favorite places in Ravenna. In the room of Montevideo, there is a virtual library of Dante available for everyone with first texts of the Divine Comedy from the pieces dating back to XIII–XIV centuries. Moreover, to attract a general audience the museum offers audio versions of the famous poem in different languages.
How to get
The Dante museum is located in the very heart of the historical center of Ravenna on Via Dante Alighieri, 4/6. You can also find Dante’s tomb nearby where the poet was buried in 1865. Other places that are situated not far from the venue are the Arian Baptistry and Small Museum of Dolls and Toys. A bus stop called Via Mariani Teatro Alighieri is within 20 meters. You can catch buses № 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18, 70, 80, 161 there.
Opening hours: from 10:00 till 18:00 every day, except for Monday. The ticket office closes 30 minutes before the closing time. Contact number: (+39) 0544 215676.
Admission: a full ticket will cost you 3 euros, a reduced one – 2 euros (for students between the ages of 18 and 25 and groups that include over 10 people.) For groups that include over 25 persons, there is a guided tour that will cost 45 euros to book. Children under 14 and people with disabilities are free of charge.
The information is relevant for July 2018.
