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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Members' reviews on BASILICA DEI SANTI MARIA E DONATO
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L'île est au calme par ces jours de carnaval et on a pu visiter des verreries et voir le travail des verriers
La cathédrale est aussi à voir avec ses mosaïques et au calme surtout
Construite en briques orangées marrons avec des colonnettes en pierres blanches son intérieure est magnifique. En particulier son pavement en mosaïques, son plafond en carène de bateau et son abside semi circulaire magnifiquement décoré.
The apse is splendid and the mosaics, especially the virgin above choir are, both " modernes" and stylised, while they go back almost 900 years!
With not missing!