Description of the attraction
Built in the Venetian-Byzantine style in the 7th century, the Cathedral of Santa Maria e San Donato stands proudly in the main square of the island of Murano in Venice. The luxurious basilica was originally consecrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Unfortunately, the original building of the temple has not survived to this day - the cathedral that we see today was built in the 12th century, and was rebuilt several times in the following centuries. In the same century, the cathedral received a second name - Saint Donatus of Arezzo, a bishop of the 4th century, whose remains were brought here from Kefalonia in 1125. Prior to this momentous event, the cathedral and the neighboring church of San Stefano contested the status of the parish church for many years, until the Doge Domenico Michele put an end to the strife by handing over the relics of the saint to the basilica and thereby confirming its superiority.
Perhaps the most famous attraction of the Basilica of Santa Maria e San Donato is its mosaic floor, laid out in the 12th century - floral ornaments and figurines of mythical animals made in the Byzantine style still attract the attention of tourists. The relics of Saint Donatus of Arezzo rest in a marble sarcophagus, and behind the altar you can see four huge rib bones, each more than a meter long - according to legend, they belong to the slain dragon saints. Scientists believe that these are the bones of some extinct mammal of the Pleistocene era.
The Basilica of Santa Maria e San Donato and the bell tower were built of dark red brick without cladding. The bell tower stands slightly to the side of the church. The main entrance to the temple faces west, while the most impressive colonnaded façade is on the east side, which overlooks the canal. Today, the cathedral on the island of Murano is considered one of the oldest in the entire Venetian lagoon.
