Travel Guide San Michele

Venice's current cemetery is located on the island of San Michele. Nicknamed the Isle of the Dead, with its pink walls and ancient tombs sheltered in the shade of cypress trees, it's a unique place in the world, as it's one of the few places where the deceased (once resting on funeral gondolas embellished with angels and gilding) arrive by boat. Nowadays, the island of San Michele can hardly accommodate any burials, due to lack of space. It is therefore reserved exclusively for the Venetian haute bourgeoisie. Nevertheless, it remains Venice's historic cemetery, which so fascinated the painters of the Romantic era... and which, even today, welcomes visitors to a place beyond time and age.Let's look back at its history. In 1807, Napoleon initially assigned this function to neighboring San Cristoforo, but as cemeteries were overcrowded at the time, the canal separating San Cristoforo from San Michele was filled in, creating a new, larger island. The island owes its name to its 10th-century church, dedicated to the archangel Michael. An important center of learning in the early 18th century, San Michele was home to a famous and rich library. Before becoming a cemetery, it was also a prison for political prisoners. It was not until the 19th century that San Michele became Venice's main cemetery, but in addition to the burials of wealthy Venetians, it also includes an area reserved for foreigners, and not just any foreigners: Stravinsky, Diaghilev and Ezra Pound are buried here. In 1212, the island was ceded to three monks, who founded a monastery that remained active until 1810. Among the monks who stayed there were Fra Mauro, author of the world map preserved in the Marciana Library, and Frate Capellari, who later became Pope Gregory XVI. Later, the island became a prison for political prisoners, with Silvio Pellico and Maroncelli passing through. In 1829, the cou vent became the residence of the Padri Riformati, who still manage the church of San Michele, annexed to the cemetery.