被水淹没的地下室，圣弗朗西斯大教堂，拉文纳，意大利 Flooded crypt, Basilica of San Francesco, Ravenna, Italy (© Andrea Pucci/Getty Images)

神圣的深渊 Divine depths

被水淹没的地下室，圣弗朗西斯大教堂，拉文纳，意大利

在意大利拉文纳市，有一座圣弗朗西斯大教堂，以其美丽和历史意义而闻名。这座罗马式教堂始建于公元450年，在9世纪时又加建了一座坚固的方形钟楼，使教堂的外观更加突出。教堂设计有三座中殿，由两排各12根圆柱分隔。而今日图片中的圣弗朗西斯大教堂最引人注目的部分是地下墓穴。这座墓穴是早期宗教设计的杰出典范，拥有向下倾斜的拱形天花板和排列整齐的石柱。地面铺设的地砖镶嵌着精美复杂的马赛克图案，至今仍然保存完好，堪称艺术杰作。

拉文纳建在松软的沼泽地上，由于城市逐渐下沉，拉文纳面临着持续的结构性挑战，这在墓穴中尤为显著，如今墓穴常年淹没在约一英尺深的水中。然而，拉文纳并未对抗洪水而是选择接受它，在水池中放养了金鱼，金鱼在古老的石柱间和淹没的马赛克地砖上方游动。游客们常向水中投掷硬币祈求好运，使这座墓穴更像是一口许愿池，而非传统的埋葬之地。

Flooded crypt, Basilica of San Francesco, Ravenna, Italy

In the Italian province of Ravenna lies the Basilica of San Francesco, recognized for its beauty and historical significance. This Romanesque church, originally built in 450, features a sturdy square bell tower added in the 9th century, enhancing the basilica's exterior. Its design features three naves, divided by two rows of 12 columns each. Featured in today's image is the basilica's real showstopper: The basement crypt, or burial chamber, is a stunning model of early religious design. Complete with vaulted ceilings that slope down into rows of stone columns, its floor is a work of art itself. It's inlaid with beautifully intricate mosaic tiles that have withstood the test of time.

Built on soft marshland, Ravenna faces ongoing structural challenges because the entire city is gradually sinking. This is particularly evident in the crypt, which now remains perpetually submerged under about a foot of water. But instead of battling the slow flood, the basilica has embraced it, filling the pool with goldfish that glide between the ancient columns and above the submerged mosaics. Visitors often toss coins into the water, making the crypt more of a wishing well than a burial site.

标签: 意大利, 教堂