San Apollinaire Nuovo was built by the Ostrogoth King Theodoric as a Palatine chapel in the first quarter of the 6th century.
It was later reconsecrated in 561, under the rule of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.
The basilica was renamed in 856, when relics of Saint Apollinaris were transferred from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, on the outskirts of Ravenna.

The church underwent several modernizations, beginning in the 6th century, when some of the mosaics were altered .
Fragments of arms and hands of figures originally depicting members of Theodoric's court, can still be found on images of columns within the mosaics.

The walls have several tiers of mosaics, but the ones most noted by visitors
are the rows of female virgin saints and male martyrs in rows on either side of the nave above the columns.
On the left side of the nave, is a row of femaie virgin saints holding crowns, and led by the three Magi bearing gifts for the Virgin and Child near the apse.
On the right side of the nave, can be found male martyrs carrying crowns, proceeding toward the enthroned Christ surrounded by angels.
All the figures are shown in the formalized Byzantine style.
The present apse (choir area) is a reconstruction after being damaged during World War I.