Mosaics And Flamingos On Torcello
The 11th century Church of Santa Fosca on Torcello Island.
The Island of Torcello in the northern area of the Venetian Lagoon has a history older than Venice herself. The island, or group of islands, was the first area to be inhabited by the fleeing Veneti after the fall of the Western Roman Empire when the Barbarians, led by Attila the Hun invaded in the 5th century.
Most of the new inhabitants at the time came from the city of Altino including the city’s Bishop, so that by 638, Torcello had become the Bishop’s Official See an honour which was to last for more than a thousand years.
The Island of Torcello with the Dolomites in the background.
The people of Altino had brought with them the relics of Saint Heliodorus, the first Bishop of Altino now the patron saint of the island. His relics are kept on the island in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
Torcello rapidly grew both politically and as a trading centre in the profitable east-west trade, becoming a much a more powerful trading centre than Venice.
By the 10th century it had a population of about 10,000-30,000 people although more recent estimates are doubtful of those figures.
In the 11th century the population started moving to the higher ground of the Rialto which was becoming an important market and business area.
The northern lagoon from the bell tower of Santa Maria Assunta.
Once business and movement started slowing down, the lagoon around the island of Torcello gradually became more of a swamp with navigation almost impossible. The growing swamp areas seriously aggravated the already dire malaria situation and the population eventually abandoned the island and left for other islands in the lagoon.
The beautiful buildings were pulled down and recycled as building material in Venice so that now very little remains of Torcello's once splendid palaces, churches, and monasteries.
It's worth the trip out to this fascinating island which can be done at the same time as your visit to Burano for it's colourful houses and lacemaking and to Murano to see first hand the famous glassmakers.
The only remaining medieval buildings on Torcello are all able to be visited, it’s best to buy a ticket that gives you entry to them all.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in 639 houses the earliest remaining mosaics in Venice. The main apse has a magnificent 11th-century mosaic of the standing Virgin Hodegetria (see below) against a huge gold background. The west wall (over the door) shows mosaics of The Crucifixion in the gable and The Last Judgement.
The bell tower is worth the climb to see the fabulous view of roofs, surrounding countryside and the lagoon. From September through to March you might be lucky enough to see pink flamingos, which have started returning to the lagoon along with other bird life and fish thanks to a concerted effort being made to repopulate the lagoon to it’s former glory.
The 11th century Church of Santa Fosca, is next door to the Cathedral. It is in the form of a Greek cross, surrounded by an octagonal portico. A very pretty building but with virtually nothing inside, which is also beautiful in it's own way.
Detail from the outside of the 11th century Church of Santa Fosca.
Across the square in two 14th century houses are two museums housing pieces from some of the 16 parish churches that were once on Torcello as well as archeological finds from before the Roman Period found in the area.
The wonderfully elegant 15th Century "Devil's Bridge" on Torcello Island.
The vaporetto #12 route goes to Murano, Burano and Torcello. But not every trip goes to Torcello so you will need to check at the vaporetto stop.
A Hodegetria (Greek: Ὁδηγήτρια, literally: "She who shows the Way"; Russian: Одигитрия), or Virgin Hodegetria, is an iconographic depiction of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) holding the Child Jesus at her side while pointing to Him as the source of salvation for mankind. In the Western Church this type of icon is sometimes called Our Lady of the Way.
Thanks to Wikipedia
