Cimitero

Lonely Planet review

The city's cemetery was established on San Michele under Napoleon and is maintained by the Franciscans. The Chiesa di San Michele in Isola, begun by Codussi in 1469, was among the city's first Renaissance buildings, built in sober style of white Istrian stone. Inspired by local and Tuscan ideas in the body of the church, Codussi dedicated most effort to the façade, crowned by a semicircle that mixes the classical with an Eastern touch.

In the curved tympanums are placed sculpted shells representing the birth of Venus. The quiet cloister is attractive and worth a peek. Among those pushing up daisies here are Ezra Pound, Sergei Diaghilev and Igor Stravinsky. Look for their graves in the northeast sector of the (signposted) island; they are in the 'acatholic' (read Protestant and Orthodox) sections. Nowadays most Venetians are buried at Mestre, although some space here remains available. Vaporetti 41 and 42 from Fondamente Nuove stop here.