Sant'Erasmo
The island of Sant 'Erasmo (named after Erasmus of Antioch ) is the largest island in the lagoon of Venice and serves mainly to supply the city of Venice with vegetables. Famous are the castraure di Sant 'Erasmo, young artichokes, as well as the spare selle, green, very thin asparagus.
The main town of San Erasmo Church is located almost exactly in the middle of the island, on the side facing the lagoon. The island is accessible from Venice by public transport.
Since 2002, on the island of extensive restoration work, especially on the embankments has become brittle, performed. Also unfolded in the capital of a brisk construction activity to stop the exodus of young people. Currently ( 2005), San Erasmo approximately 500 residents, many of whom commute daily to Murano (glass factories ) or Venice (tourism). For Census 2001 771 permanent residents were detected on the 3.26 km ² island, of which 253 are in the same main town (also called Sant Erasmo Chiesa ) and the remainder in scattered buildings, which are not allocated to any settlement. The irrigation of vegetable fields occurs mainly through narrow channels - le barene - which are filled through a system of locks with the brackish water of the lagoon.
From the first water bus station, San Erasmo Capannone, can be reached in a quarter of an hour's walk to the " Torre Massimiliano ", an old gun turret of brick from the imperial period during which Venice was ruled by Austria. By means of the established cannon enemy ships could be denied the entrance to the lagoon. After years of decline, a group has found investors that the tower carefully restored and transformed into a cultural and exhibition center.
Still are remains of former mounting and defenses, but the slow decay on the northern tip of the island ( Punta Vela ). Some of the scattered houses are temporarily inhabited by dropouts and artists.
From San Erasmo made by private boat to reach the island of San Francesco del Deserto, on which a Franciscan monastery.
Gallery
Massimiliano Torre, present condition