On the upper band of the left lateral wall are 13 small mosaics, depicting Jesus' miracles and parables; and on the right wall are 13 mosaics depicting the Passion and Resurrection. However, the flagellation and crucifixion are lacking. They describe the parts of the Bible that were read aloud in the church during Lent under the rule of
Theodoric the Great. On the left, Jesus is always depicted as young, beardless man, dressed as a Roman Emperor. On the right, Jesus is depicted with a beard. For the Arians, this emphasized that Jesus grew older and became a "man of sorrows", as spoken of by the prophet Isaiah. These mosaics are separated by decorative mosaic panels depicting a shell-shaped niche with a tapestry, cross, and two doves. These mosaics were executed by at least two artists. The next row of mosaics are a scheme of haloed saints, prophets and evangelists, sixteen on each side. The figures are executed in a Hellenistic-Roman tradition and show a certain individuality of expression as compared to the other figures in the basilica. Each individual depicted holds a book, in either scroll or codex format, and, like many of the other figures throughout the basilica, each of their robes has a mark or symbol in it. These mosaics alternate with windows. They were executed in the time of Theodoric. The row below contains large mosaics in Byzantine style, lacking any individuality, having all identical expressions. These were executed about 50 years after the time of bishop
Agnellus (d. 570), when the church had already become an orthodox church. To the left is a procession of the 22 Virgins of the
Byzantine period, led by the
Three Magi, moving from the city of Classe towards the group of the Madonna and Child surrounded by four angels. (The Magi in this mosaic are named Balthasar, Melchior and Gaspar; this is thought to be the earliest example of these three names being assigned to the Magi in Christian art.) To the right is a similar procession of 26 Martyrs, led by Saint Martin and including Saint Apollinaris, moving from the Palace of Theodoric towards a group representing Christ enthroned amid four angels. This lower band, containing a schematic representation of the
Palace of Theodoric on the right wall and the port of Classe with three ships on the left wall, gives us a certain idea of the architecture in Ravenna
during the time of Theodoric. In another part of the church there is a rough mosaic containing the portrait of the
Emperor Justinian as an old man, though it may have originally depicted Theodoric. {{Panorama|image= File:Sant Apollinare Nuovo North Wall Panorama 01.jpg|height=160|width=45%|caption= Panorama of the left lateral wall mosaics|align=left {{Panorama|image= File:Sant Apollinare Nuovo South Wall Panorama.jpg|height=160|width=45%|caption= Panorama of the right lateral wall mosaics|align=right The entrance of the church is preceded by a marble
portico built in the 16th century. The portico against the facade and the mullioned window in the center were rebuilt after a World War I bombing. Next to the church, on the right side of the portico, stands a round bell tower dating from the 9th or 10th century. When the
UNESCO inscribed the church on the
World Heritage List, its experts pointed out that "both the exterior and interior of the basilica graphically illustrate the fusion between the western and eastern styles characteristic of the late 5th to early 6th century. This is one of the most important buildings from the period of crucial cultural significance in European religious art". (See:
Church architecture.) Some art historians claim that one of the mosaics contains the first depiction of
Satan in western art. In the mosaic, a blue angel appears to the left hand side of Jesus behind three goats (mentioned in St Matthew's account of Judgement Day). ==Gallery==