St Romuald

The church, which is part of the Classense Library, has relatively recent origins compared to the major basilicas of Ravenna. In 1512 the Camaldolese monks who held S. Apollinare in Classe were terrified by the fierce clash that had just taken place practically before their eyes between the armies of France and the Holy League - in the battle in which the French had prevailed - and decided to move to the city. The book heritage that would serve as the initial foundation of the Classense Library was transported to the new abbey, and the new church, actually begun much later in 1630, was dedicated to Romualdo, founder of the Camaldolesians from Ravenna who was sanctified in the late 16th century.

History has never been kind to this church: suppression of the religious orders by Napoleon, subsequent forced abandonment by the monks, stripping of the furnishings and works of art, subsequent reduction to a museum space, then a gymnasium, a shrine to fallen soldiers and finally a museum of the Renaissance.

Finally, its current function as an exhibition space was well represented by the Dante exhibition held on the occasion of the seven centuries since the Poet's death.