London Weekend Break

Byzantine Art Exhibition 330to 1453

Venue – London Royal Academy of Art

Running until 22 March 2009 there will be a unique opportunity to see an exhibition of Byzantine art including around 300 artefacts, jewels and other cultural icons from this important empire.

The exhibition includes many items that have never been seen on public display in the UK before, and star features will include the Antioch Chalice which is believed to have been the cup used by Christ and the Disciples at the Last Supper.

Many of the exhibits on display are over 1,000 years old and the exhibition has been over five years in the planning.

Importantly, this is not the typical travelling exhibition that does the rounds of museums and other venues, but rather a purpose assembled collection with items on short term loan from countries including Russia, the Ukraine, Greece and Egypt. It is quite possible that this particular collection may never agin be seen in such a complete way.

With manuscripts and mosaics, the exhibition takes its visitors on a time line from 330 ad to 1453 ad, a period that spans from what is now the modern day city of Constantinople, to the overtaking of the Byzantine era by the Ottoman Empire.

The exhibition is expected to receive great interest and it may prove to be the only opportunity to see such a display of Byzantine art in many of its visitor's lifetimes.

Presently, we have no details of any entry fee.