How to visit and what to see in Torcello, Byzantine art in the Venice Lagoon

Si tu trip to Venice allows you to make a vaporetto excursion across the lagoon to visit any of the islands, and you have decided to go to Burano, it is worth visiting the very close one Torcello island.

Located in front of the aforementioned Burano, riding a Torcello You will not find a town with the charm and tourist attraction of said island, but something totally different awaits you.

At the outset it is worth knowing that Torcello has historically been the first of the Venice lagoon islands which was populated by those fleeing barbarian invasions in the 5th century.

In subsequent centuries it had some activity thanks to the salt mines that surrounded it, reaching a population of 20.000 inhabitants, but from the XNUMXth century onwards that activity declined.

Today, Torcello It is an island where there is only fields and a few houses, and less than 20 people live there, which shows an image very close to what the islands were like. Venice lagoon islands Many years ago.

But it houses something much more interesting, which justifies why it is worth crossing from the island of Burano to that of Torcello.

I am referring to the oldest building in the entire lagoon, included in the city of Venice itself.

This is the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, built in the year 639.

And next to this enormous church, one of the largest in the entire Venice area, you will also find the Byzantine church of Santa Fosca, both forming a very interesting architectural complex.

How to get to and visit Torcello from Venice

For cross to Torcello, when you arrive in the ferry to burano island, on the same dock you will see another ferry that only 15 minutes later you will cross to Torcello, and in just 10 minutes of navigation you will be at your destination.

From the pier you must walk along a path between the countryside landscape of the island, bordering a canal and towards the interior of the island.

And in 10-15 minutes you will arrive in front of the aforementioned architectural complex that forms the cathedral and byzantine church.

If you don't dawdle, cover this route quickly and make a relatively quick visit to both churches, you may have time, an hour after arriving at Torcello, pick up the ferry back to Burano.

But if instead you want to enjoy this visit more peacefully, you should know that the ferry It happens every half hour.

Assumption Cathedral, 7th century Byzantine church

Built in the year 639, in the final period of the byzantine art, the actual Cathedral of the Assumption It was completely restored between the years 864 and 1004.

Located next to the Byzantine church of Santa Fosca forming an architectural complex, the external highlight of the building of the Cathedral of the Assumption is bell tower.

In any case, it is inside where its most outstanding elements are found.

With a very austere layout of its interior, during your visit you should pay attention to the apse mosaic and, above all, in the impressive and truly beautiful mosaic of the Last Judgment located on the interior counter-façade.

It is also worth highlighting the stone pulpit, which already belonged to the original church from the 7th century.

I can also quote as a curiosity for your visit of Torcello, the so-called Throne of Attila, a marble seat found outside the Cathedral of the Assumption, right in front of its main façade.

Legend says that the king of the gods sat on said marble seat. huns, Atila, although in reality there is no evidence of this.

Church of Santa Fosca, Byzantine architecture

Although, as we have mentioned, the origins of the Torcello cathedral date back to the 7th century, later, between the 11th and 12th centuries, this small cathedral was built. venetian byzantine style church.

La church of Santa Fosca comes to fulfill the functions of what in Byzantine architecture is called a exonarthex.

It is an exterior building that, in front of the façade, serves as an anteroom to the main church, which was intended so that people who for various reasons, such as being penitents, were not admitted to the church could follow the services.

In fact, when we arrive from the pier on the island of Torcello to the place where the aforementioned cathedral is located, the first thing we see, and the first thing that catches our attention, is the round building.

As a baptistery of unmistakable Byzantine style, this building of the church of Santa Fosca takes on great prominence in the architectural ensemble.

From the almost complete church of Santa Fosca We especially highlight its exterior portico with classical Greek style columns. In fact, externally it is much more attractive than the austere cathedral building.