ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

So, Galla Placidia was a very important lady who lived a long time ago in ancient Rome. She was so important that she had a big fancy building made just for her after she died, called a mausoleum.

The mausoleum of Galla Placidia is a very special and beautiful building because it’s covered in pretty mosaics made out of different-colored pieces of glass and stone. These mosaics show pictures of important religious stories and symbols, like Jesus, his apostles, and even some creatures like peacocks and rabbits.

Inside the mausoleum, there are little rooms called niches where people could put Galla Placidia’s body and other important objects. The niches are also covered in mosaics, so they look very pretty too. There’s even a big dome on top of the mausoleum that has lots of beautiful blue and gold stars on it, just like the night sky.

Nowadays, people can visit the mausoleum of Galla Placidia and see all the pretty mosaics and niches. It’s like taking a step back in time to ancient Rome and seeing a beautiful building that was made just for a very important lady who lived a long time ago.