Archaeological Wall, Torcello, Venice
Archaeological Wall
After 26 years of not visiting Italy I came back to a country that hadn’t changed much. It was the lack of those changes that made my visit in 1993 a nostalgically emotional trip. But when we traveled to Venice and on this day in May my cousin took us to Torcello, I was in peace. Was it that I had never visited Torcello, an outer island in the Venetian lagoon, as a child that made my experience there more tranquil, I really couldn’t say. The result was a visit of wonder in an unknown location.
Throughout Italy you will find archaeological walls like this one. They are repositories of architectural elements that have been removed in past renovations. Since Torcellos was the first Venetian lagoon settlement in the fifth century, this repository covers many styles and influences.
Being named after the patron saint of Venice – San Marco – I was drawn to this relief of the evangelical Saint. In a quiet corner to the side of the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta stood the evangelist. Here his eternal benediction is cast to all who stand before him. On this day, away from the tourists in Venice proper, I felt the blessing of this quiet respite and felt a connection to the island and it’s history as the womb of the Venetian Republic.
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