▁references , ▁it ▁is ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁artists ▁who ▁created ▁the ▁m osa ics ▁were ▁Orth odox ▁Christians , ▁as ▁the ▁Ost rog oth s ▁were ▁pre domin antly ▁g olds m ith s ▁and ▁not ▁m osa ic ▁artists . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁ 5 6 5 , ▁after ▁the ▁condem n ation ▁of ▁the ▁A rian ▁sect , ▁this ▁small ▁oct ag onal ▁brick ▁structure ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁Chal ced onian ▁or atory ▁named ▁Santa ▁Maria . ▁Eastern - R ite ▁mon ks ▁added ▁a ▁monaster y ▁during ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Ex arch ate ▁of ▁R aven na ▁and ▁further ▁dedicated ▁the ▁structure ▁to ▁Saint ▁Maria ▁in ▁Cos med in . ▁Ar ound ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 7 0 0 , ▁the ▁structure ▁passed ▁into ▁private ▁hands , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁it ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁Italian ▁government . ▁The ▁Al lied ▁bomb ard ment ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁helped ▁clear ▁away ▁other ▁structures ▁which ▁had ▁enc ro ached ▁on ▁it ▁from ▁all ▁sides , ▁en abling ▁research ers ▁to ▁view ▁the ▁details ▁of ▁its ▁exterior ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁As ▁with ▁other ▁monuments ▁in ▁R aven na , ▁the ▁original ▁floor ▁is ▁now ▁some ▁ 2 . 3 ▁meters ▁under ground . ▁ ▁Not ability ▁▁ ▁The ▁Bapt istry ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁eight ▁structures ▁in ▁R aven na ▁registered ▁as ▁UN ES CO ▁World ▁Heritage ▁S ites . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁Ari us ▁ ▁Ost rog oth ic ▁R aven na ▁