For centuries, the Romans and the Byzantines used the mosaic technique to decorate villas, baths, palaces and churches. The Byzantines made Ravenna Italy’s capital of mosaics: in this Emilia-Romagna town, you’ll find some of the highest examples of mosaic art, included in Unesco’s World Heritage list. See the mosaics in the Basilica of San Vitale, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare, Mausoleo di Teodorico and Galla Placidia.

The history and success of medieval mosaics in Italy can be best appreciated in Venice, where the art of the time was influenced both by the nascent Gothic style (western) and by Byzantine art (eastern). The high point of this is the magnificent Basilica of San Marco with its golden mosaics, symbol of the divine light.