The island of Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of the jewels of the Venetian lagoon. Just a 10 minute boat taxi ride to Saint Mark’s Square, 15 minutes to the Lido private airport and 40 minutes to Marco Polo International Airport, Santa Maria delle Grazie is perfectly geographically positioned for visiting Venice, Lido and the surrounding islands of the lagoon, while at the same time offering a place of retreat to relax from the bustle of the crowds.
The artificially constructed island has served exactly this purpose of retreat and inspiration since the end of the Tenth Century, A.D. A number of different religious congregations have made their home on Santa Maria delle Grazie, which, according to legend, got its name when sailors traveling on a boat from Constantinople carrying a portrait of the Virgin Mary by Luke the Evangelist had a vision indicating that God wished the portrait to be kept on the island. In 1810, Napoleon abruptly ended the island’s spiritual tradition by evicting the nuns living there and employing it as a weapons depository. For most of the 20th century the island served as a hospital until it could no longer meet modern demands.
Stofanel is in the earliest stages of planning a redevelopment project that will help rejuvenate this unique location’s landscape, architecture and history, while thoroughly respecting it.
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