San Francesco del Deserto is a small, peaceful island in the Venetian lagoon, located between Burano and the island of Sant'Erasmo.
It is home to a Franciscan monastery founded in 1230.
The island can only be reached by private transport or cab.
You can also visit and stay for a few days with the agreement of the monks who live there.
Today, I'm going to tell you more about this island.
San Francesco del Deserto: article summary
The history of San Francesco del Deserto
Formerly known as Isola delle Due Vigne, the island belonged to the Venetian nobleman Jacopo Michiel.
It is said that in 1220, San Francesco d'Assisi stayed there for a short time, returning from the East and the Fifth Crusade.
At that time, there was already a small Byzantine church on the island. It was here that St. Francis would stop to reflect and pray with Brother Illuminato da Rieti, his traveling companion.
In 1233, Jacopo Michiel donated the island to the Franciscan Order. Since then, "Isola delle Due Vigne" has been renamed "Isola di San Francesco".
A desert quickly rehabilitated
Due to the spread of diseases such as malaria in 400, the island was abandoned. It was at this point that the suffix "del Deserto" (of the Desert) was applied to its name.
Since then, the island has always been administered by the Franciscan Order, with the exception of the early XIXᵉ century (1808) when Napoleon's troops turned the island into a warehouse.
In 1858, thanks to the work of Padre Bernardino da Portogruaro, the island was returned to the diocese of Venice. The monks were then able to refound the monastery, which is still active today.
Visit the island of San Francesco del Deserto
If you'd like to visit the island, you'll need to take a rental boat, or make your own. an excursion on a typical Venetian boat as a "bragozzo" or in cab. At its entrance, there's a small landing stage for easy disembarkation. In the adjacent channel there are spaces available for mooring smaller boats.
As soon as you descend, you can see a large wooden cross and a paved road. This leads to the entrance the convent, church and monastery.
After ringing the bell at the entrance to the monastery, a monk greets you and accompanies you on your tour of the island.
If you look at the walls, you can see the writing on the marble describing the miracle of the birds' silence, and the deed of gift from the island to the Franciscan friars by Jacopo Michiel.
Don't miss the area around the monastery
The monastery has two cloisters: the first cloister of the San Francesco del Deserto convent dates back to 200 A.D. It was partially destroyed by Napoleon's troops and rebuilt by the Franciscans in the second half of 1800.
The church of San Francesco del Deserto dates back to 1401. stands on the former Byzantine church.
Also on the island is the tomb of "Bernardino da Portogruaro", general of the Franciscan Order. He oversaw the restoration of the convent and church after its destruction by Napoleonic troops. in the early 800s.
As you stroll through the flower-filled garden, where the brothers keep a few animals and cultivate the land, you'll discover two magnificent terraces offering views of the Venetian lagoon as well as the island of Burano.
How to get there
The easiest and cheapest way to reach the island of San Francesco is to go to Burano, then take a private boat from Burano to San Francesco del Deserto.
In fact, all the way from Venice, MuranoTreporti, Punta Sabbioni or from the Venice Lido is the same as the one you undertake to visit Burano.
The island of San Francesco del Deserto is a must-see if you're passing through Venice. During your visit, you can discover the wonders of this island. I suggest you spend some time contemplating the various installations created by the monks. A true journey through history.
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