Chiesa dei SS Maria e Donato

Murano’s devotion and its glass-making prowess are showcased in one singular monument: Chiesa dei SS Maria e Donato, best known for its 12th-century Virgin Mary apse mosaic, shimmering with gilt-glass tesserae. The other masterpiece here is underfoot: a Byzantine-style, 12th-century mosaic pavement. The church was founded in the 7th century but rededicated to San Donato after his bones were brought here from Cephalonia, along with four bones from a dragon he supposedly killed that now hang behind the altar. Save the church visit until after the museum and stores close around 5pm to 6pm.