From July 15 to September 5, 2025 the Italian Cultural Institute of London (ICI London) proudly hosts THE ANCIENT MOSAICS OF RAVENNA – The collection of the copies, an exhibition of the ancient mosaics of Ravenna preserved in the UNESCO monuments of the city.

These faithful copies were created in the 1950s by the master mosaicists, who have previously restored the original works that were damaged by World War II, with the aim of travelling around the world to make the beauty of Ravenna’s mosaics visible up close.

The copies of the mosaics allow visitors to capture the lines and colour tones of the tesserae, which are capable of refracting light in a multitude of colour plays.

Thanks to this exhibition, visitors are invited on a journey into the golden age of Ravenna, through the beauties of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Neonian and Arian Baptisteries, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and the Basilica of San Vitale.

Ravenna’s mosaic tradition is a varied and multifaceted mix of activities from contemporary art to craftsmanship, from education to restoration. The coexistence of various forms and techniques of making mosaic finds expression through the codes of this ancient art – a living expression of continuity of beauty, skilled gestures, craftsmanship and thoughtful creation.

The collection, owned by the Municipality of Ravenna, has been exhibited in many cities around the world, making a significant contribution to the promotion and valorisation of Ravenna’s mosaic art at international level and establishing Ravenna as the city of mosaic.

The exhibition organised in London by the Municipality of Ravenna in collaboration with the ICI London is possible thanks to funding of the Italian Ministry of Tourism for the project “Ravenna Città del Mosaico”.

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ICI London welcomes visitors with step-free access at the entrance; however, please be advised that the bathroom does not have step-free access.

Please note you will be participating in an event where photography, video and audio recording may occur. By participating, you consent to video recording, audio recording and/or photography and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, social media, web casts, inclusion on web sites, or for any other purpose(s) by ICI London.