In Ravenna, the Basilica of San Vitale — a magnificent example of 6th-century AD Byzantine art — is home to a splendid labyrinth dating back to the 15th century.
The structure of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, with its octagonal floor plan and eight columns supporting the dome, bears witness to the strong Eastern and early Christian influence on Italian sacred architecture. Founded on the orders of Bishop Ecclesius and consecrated in 548 by Archbishop Maximian, it is known above all for the beauty of its mosaics, which draw the eye upwards, though it also preserves original works on its floor.
Beyond the motif of the eight-pointed polar star, repeated several times on the floor and in the very structure of the basilica, one of the most fascinating features is the labyrinth on the floor of the presbytery, directly in front of the altar, measuring roughly three and a half metres in diameter and dating back to the 15th century.
The labyrinthine path goes beyond the symbolism — however clear — of the initiatory journey. By virtue of its spiral course, it signals and generates an energy current capable of purifying and elevating anyone who retraces it with concentration, following in the footsteps of devout medieval pilgrims. It is, in fact, synonymous with a return to the centre — that is, enlightenment — achieved through the journey of life, its hardships and its trials. It is composed of seven coils, designed to absorb cosmic energy while shedding that which is heavy and earthly.
In the early centuries of Christianity, the labyrinth was often a symbol of the path towards purification. Finding one's way out of the labyrinth is an act of rebirth, now as it was then.