It may seem strange to some, but one of my very favorite places in Italy is a small, lonely, melancholy island just outside of Venice called "Torcello." (pronounced "Tor-che'-low") Now, I love Venice, it's my absolute favorite city on planet Earth and then some, but in that area Torcello is literally my favorite SPOT on Earth. And believe me, the rest of Italy gives some very stiff competition! There's no other place quite like it though. To get there you have to take several water taxis form Venice, to Murano, to Burano and then finally to Torcello. Unless you rented a boat or know a local Venetian, you aren't getting there any time soon. But I do have to say that it is very worth it. You leave the busy hustle and bustle of Venice behind, preferably in the morning to give you time, and you travel to the lonely island of Torcello.
Here's what it looks like as you approach the island.
Torcello was actually one of the very first settlements in the entire Venetian lagoon. It was settled by refugees from the collapsing Roman Empire. For its early history about 450BC to about 1200, Torcello was larger or at least rivaled Venice itself. The bishop even had his cathedral here. There were two harbors, now silted up and swampy and several churches, convents, monasteries and palaces. All of its past glory is almost vanished now.
As you get off the ferry at Torcello's one remaining dock you begin the short and empty walk along the silted up, green canal.
Through the trees and bushes you catch glimpses of ruined and run down houses on the other side of wild fields. Only as you approach the far side of the island do you start to see signs of living civilization. There are a handful of houses and one over priced bed and breakfast, the Cipriani.
You cross one tiny, but elegantly arched bridge and you com to the remains of the once glorious piazza.
Okay, I'm a bit of a romantic when it comes to such things. I was walking in the middle of the ruins of power. All that remained were a few buildings that were now a part of the museum and the two churches of Santa Fosca and Assunta.
The round one in front is an ancient Byzantine church of Santa Fosca, from when Venice and the Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire thank you very much) were BFF's. It's a very simple, humble little church, two words not normally associated with the Byzantines. Next to it though is the Cahtedral of Santa Maria Assunta. I've seen many an Italian church from small town churches in Umbria, to St. Peter's in Rome to the glittering St. Mark's in Venice, but for me, Santa Maria Assunta has one of the most amazing mosaics in all of Italy.
The lone, solitary figure of the Virgin, all, lean and clad in a dark robe, stares out at you. She needs no other ornimintation. There's nothing gaudy or extravagant about this mosaic. It's simple, refrained and elegant in its power. I found my self standing there for a long time, staring at this work of art. As an artist I was kind of jealous. This 12th century anonymous Byzazantine artist has made a work that's as powerful today as it was the day it was made. You're going to have to believe me, its just something you're going to have to see for yourself. I mean it, go see it...now...I'll wait.
This is looking over the remains of Torcello from the bell tower. For a few Euro you get inside the church, the bell tower and/or the museum. Well worth it! At the top of the picture above you can see one of the silted up harbors.
Above is another view from the bell tower looking out over the only real street that remains. On the left is one of the few remaining canals. It was the silting up of the canals and harbors that caused disease that made everyone leave the island.
If you do have time, please go see this wonderful place. Once you're finished wandering around you can go back to the colorful island of Burano and have lunch at the Da Romano which serves some of the best Risotto ever. For the win!
