San Francesco del Deserto

The island has a long history being used since Roman times.

It is said to have been visited by Francis of Assisi in 1220. St Francis chose the island to found a place where it was possible to pray and meditate in peace

After his death, the island was donated, in 1233, to the friars who found a convent here. This lasted until the 15th century when the island was vacated due to disease and thus the name suffix for the Island of San Francesco ‘del deserto’.

Napoleonic soldiers plundered the monastery and the church of its ornaments. Supression of the Franciscans led to the monastery being moved. Once the Austrians (who used the island as powder magazine) hasleft, the island was donated to  back to Venice in 1858 which allowed the Franciscans to re-establish the monastery there, which is still active today.