BASILICA DEI SANTI MARIA E DONATO
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A beautiful church, imposing and monumental, in Murano.
The Basilica dei Santi Maria, founded in the 6th century, was later remodeled in the 12th and 19th centuries. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it became associated with San Donato in the 12th century, when the saint's relics were brought here along with the bones of the "dragon" with which he is said to have triumphed. The remarkable façade of the building faces a canal. It has an imposing, monumental appearance, thanks to its red brick and Istrian stone facing. Observe the fine details and polychromatic materials. The Byzantine-influenced neo-Romanesque ensemble is astonishing. Take a tour of the church. The apse is a semi-circular masterpiece of Byzantine-Venetian columns and arcades. It is composed of two rows of arcatures separated by geminated white marble colonnettes, with foliage and palmettes capitals. The interior of the site is also a must-see. It is divided into two rows of five columns topped with Venetian-Byzantine capitals. The vault and floor are adorned with polychrome mosaics depicting fantastic animal figures, eagles, peacocks and fish, as well as geometric and floral motifs. Each of these elements has inspired contemporary glass artists. At the same time, the 12th-century mosaic of the Virgin Mary is set against the golden light of the apse. On the left-hand side, a wooden altarpiece attributed to Paolo Veneziano can be admired.
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