Dante’s final resting place

Dante Alighieri, known by the mononym Dante, was an Italian poet and philosopher who is most famous for his work The Divine Comedy which includes Dante’s Inferno.

Dante was born in Florence around 1265 CE. As a young man, Dante had political aspirations and starting rising up the ranks. But, a schism in Italy between the Guelphs (and their various factions) who supported the Pope and the Ghibellines who supported the Holy Roman Empire swallowed him when he was accused of corruption. Dante’s assets were frozen and he was exiled from Florence.

Dante bounced around Italy and it was during his exile that he wrote The Divine Comedy as well as many other works.

Eventually, those who exiled Dante from Florence fell out of power and he was told he could return if he admitted wrongdoing and paid a large fine. Dante refused and he was sentenced to death in absentia, a judgement that included his innocent sons (harsh!).

Ravenna was Dante’s home for the last 3 years of his life. He continued to work until the end and completed The Divine Comedy in Ravenna. He died in the city in 1321, having never returned to the place of his birth. Dante was buried at the Church of San Pier Maggiore (later called Basilica di San Francesco). In 1781, a tomb was erected next to the church and Dante’s remains are interred there.

The tomb itself is small with some nice marble carvings and relief work. Visiting the Dante’s Tomb is free and you are asked to be quiet and respectful while there.

The city of Florence, for their part, eventually regretted their treatment of the poet and has officially asked for the return of Dante’s bones to the place of his birth. They’ve even gone as far as building their own tomb in 1829, but it remains Dante-less.

There are other Dante sites for stans to visit in Ravenna. Next to his tomb is the Basilica di San Francesco where Dante’s funeral was held and where he was initially buried. Also within the basilica’s grounds is Museo Dante, a museum dedicated to the poet’s life and works. There are a couple of artifacts as well including a wooden box that held his bones for a couple centuries.

A small plaque adorns Casa dei Polentani, the house where Dante stayed in Ravenna.

Download the entire Ravenna Food & Travel Guide

Getting to Ravenna

The closest airport to Ravenna is Bologna (BLQ). From the airport, take the train to Bologna Centrale station. From there, trains depart regularly and take about an hour.

You can also take the train from Florence, but it requires a change in Bologna.

If you’re driving, Ravenna is about an hour from Bologna, 2 1/2 hours from Florence, and 3 hours from Milan.

About the Author

Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides on Destination Eat Drink, including several in Italy. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms.