Tour of San Francesco del Deserto
Island of San Francesco del Deserto Tour
Boat tour to San Francesco del Deserto
Between Burano and Sant’Erasmo, we find the island of San Francesco del Deserto. Some artifacts show that the island was frequented as early as the Roman era. Initially called the Island of Two Vineyards, it was owned by Jacopo Michiel, a Venetian nobleman.
In 1220, Francis of Assisi participated in the Fifth Crusade, not to fight but as a peace missionary. Upon returning from the East aboard a Venetian ship, he sought a tranquil place to pray and meditate in silence and nature.
He found this peace on the island, where a Byzantine church already stood, and stayed there with his traveling companion, Brother Illuminato da Rieti. Captivated by the island’s serenity and the birdsong that greeted him, he envisioned creating a haven for prayer and meditation away from worldly distractions.
In 1233, Jacopo Michiel donated the island to the Franciscan friars to realize St. Francis’s vision of founding a convent. The island was renamed San Francesco. Its current name, San Francesco del Deserto, dates back to the 1400s when it was abandoned due to the swampy environment and diseases like malaria.
The island remained deserted until the early 1800s when it was used as a gunpowder depot and warehouse, first by Napoleon’s army and later by the Austrians until 1858. That year, thanks to Brother Bernardino da Portogruaro, the island was donated to the Patriarchate of Venice, which allowed the friars to reestablish the monastery, still active today.
Currently, a small community of Franciscan friars maintains the monastery and its beautiful garden, welcoming visitors.
During your visit, a friar will guide you through the convent with its cloister, the church, the writings on the walls recounting the miracle of the birds’ silence, and the tomb of Bernardino da Portogruaro. You can also stroll through the meticulously maintained garden, which features two terraces offering stunning views of the lagoon and Burano.