Medieval Mosaics

Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples. Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces. - Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns. I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple. It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto. The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used. There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories. As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals. An elephant

Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples. Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces. - Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns. I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple. It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto. The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used. There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories. As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals. A mermaid

Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples. Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces. - Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns. I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple. It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto. The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used. There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories. As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals. There are a couple of royals one can find in Otranto. ALEXANDER THE GREAT was easy to find, unfortunately, I was unable to take a proper photo of REX ARTURUS, the legendary British King Arthur, riding a goat. Seen here, sitting on a small stool, is REGINA AUSTRI, the Queen of the South better knows as Queen of Sheba.

Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples. Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces. - Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns. I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple. It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto. The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used. There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories. As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals. An evil creature (snake, bird, human..) is going to devour devours a person, that is clearly darker than the workers on the left. An (Arabian?) Saracen? A "dark soul"? Anyway - a very poor soul.

Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples. Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces. - Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns. I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple. It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto. The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used. There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories. As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals. These three persons stand actually side by side, but the mosaic is rather damaged. There were two more persons on the sides that are gone. The name of the figure on the right, seated on a chair and holding a scroll is repaired and now reads MARGUACIS. A person with that name is not known. The small figure in the centre looks like an atlant, the nude person beside him looks somehow guilty.

Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples. Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces. - Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns. I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple. It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto. The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used. There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories. As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals. This vomiting dog is really sick.

Otranto occupies the site of an ancient Greek city. It gained importance in Roman times, as it was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. After the end of the Roman Empire, it was in the hands of the Byzantine emperors until it surrendered to the Norman troops of Robert Guiscard in 1068. The Normans fortified the city and built the cathedral, that got consecrated in 1088. When Henry VI., son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, married Constanze of Sicily in 1186 Otranto came under the rule of the Hohenstaufen and later in the hands of Ferdinand I of Aragón, King of Naples. Between 1480 and 1481 the "Ottoman invasion" took place here. Troops of the Ottoman Empire invaded and laid siege to the city and its citadel. Legends tell that more than 800 inhabitants were beheaded after the city was captured. The "Martyrs of Otranto" are still celebrated in Italy, their skulls are on display in the cathedral. A year later the Ottoman garrison surrendered the city following a siege by Christian forces and the intervention of Papal forces. - Otranto had been one of the last Byzantine strongholds in Apulia, but finally Robert Guiscard could take it. It had probably been such a stronghold, as Otranto had hosted an autocephalous bishopric, only dependent of the patriarchal see of Byzantium since 968. So (Roman) Catholicism had to perform something "convincing" for the so long (Byzantine) Orthodox christians. One was to erect a huge church. The Otranto Cathedral was erected, over ruins of a Paleo-christian church from 1080 on and was consecrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres wide and is built on 42 monolithic granite and marble columns. I had come to Otranto, to see the mosaic. I had planned to stay one night in Otranto, I spent three nights - and still had not seen all the details. I was so overwhelmed, that I took hundreds of photos, but the mosaic is "endless". I will upload only a couple. It was created by a monk named Pantaleon and his workshop between 1163 and 1165. Pantaleon lived at the monastery San Nicola di Casole, located a few kilometres south of Otranto. The mosaic covers the nave, both aisles, the apse and the presbytery. This sums up to a total of 1596 m². About 10 000000 (10 million!) "tesserae" were used. There are scholars, who have counted up to 700 different "stories", that are told here. Though, these "stories" are often disputed, as today's interpretations are mostly very "vague". German historian Carl Arnold Willemsen published the most important book about the mosaic in Italian " L'enigma di Otranto", that since the 1970s is translated in many languages. I followed his theories. As the church is a parish church, there are benches placed on the mosaic floor. Only for the Sunday service, the ropes are open so that the parishioners can reach the benches. I stayed up to Sunday to mix with the locals. A stork and an eagle owl.

Taranto located on a peninsula was founded by Greek settlers and during the period of Greek colonization in Southern Italy, the city was among the most important in "Magna Graecia". During the Second Punic War, Taranto supported Hannibal in Italy and opened it´s doors to his troops in 212 BC, but when Romans recaptured Taranto three years later, they massacred the citizens and looted the town. It became a Roman colony later. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Taranto got fortified. In 547 Taranto asked a Byzantine general for support. He greatly reduced the size of the city in order to be able to defend it. So he separated the part of the isthmus from the actual city area, making an island out of the peninsula and fortified it strongly. Nevertheless, three years later, the city was conquered by the Ostrogoth troops of Totila. Later Taranto was ruled by Langobards. The city was conquered by the Saracens in 839 and an emirate existed up to 880 when it was taken by a Byzantine army, but in 927 the Saracens were back looted and destroyed the city. It was rebuilt under Byzantine power from 967 on. Normans conquered Taranto in the second half of the 11th century and founded the "Principality of Taranto" 1086, later bequeathed by Frederic II to his son Manfred. The Old Town ("Città Vecchia") still retains the same street layout of 967, when the Byzantines rebuilt it after Saracen troops had razed to the ground in 927. Still in 1746 the entire population of Taranto resided in Old Town. By 2013 the population of the Old Town was just 1000 while the wider city had more than 200000 inhabitants. Today the structural structure of the old town in this area is currently in a disastrous state. Many houses are abandoned, in danger of collapsing or already in ruins. The old town today is a drastic example of an urban state of neglect. The Taranto Cathedral is located in the centre of the old town in a place, where the Greek settlers had a temple already. The construction of the church was started in the second half of the 10th century by the Byzantines during the reconstruction of the city. End of the 11th century the Byzantine structure was remodelled and enlarged by Norman builders. The current cathedral, dedicated Saint Cataldo, an Irish monk, who became bishop here in the 7th century, was built, "reusing" large parts of the Byzantine building and so creating a Romanesque basilica on a Latin Cross. The cathedral measures 84 meters in length and 24 in width, has a central nave, two side aisles and a transept. The nave and the aisles are divided by a double series of eight columns surmounted by differently made capitals. Obviously, the floor of the cathedral was covered by a large mosaic, just like it still exists in Otranto. Here only a few parts of the mosaic survived the times.

Taranto located on a peninsula was founded by Greek settlers and during the period of Greek colonization in Southern Italy, the city was among the most important in "Magna Graecia". During the Second Punic War, Taranto supported Hannibal in Italy and opened it´s doors to his troops in 212 BC, but when Romans recaptured Taranto three years later, they massacred the citizens and looted the town. It became a Roman colony later. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Taranto got fortified. In 547 Taranto asked a Byzantine general for support. He greatly reduced the size of the city in order to be able to defend it. So he separated the part of the isthmus from the actual city area, making an island out of the peninsula and fortified it strongly. Nevertheless, three years later, the city was conquered by the Ostrogoth troops of Totila. Later Taranto was ruled by Langobards. The city was conquered by the Saracens in 839 and an emirate existed up to 880 when it was taken by a Byzantine army, but in 927 the Saracens were back looted and destroyed the city. It was rebuilt under Byzantine power from 967 on. Normans conquered Taranto in the second half of the 11th century and founded the "Principality of Taranto" 1086, later bequeathed by Frederic II to his son Manfred. The Old Town ("Città Vecchia") still retains the same street layout of 967, when the Byzantines rebuilt it after Saracen troops had razed to the ground in 927. Still in 1746 the entire population of Taranto resided in Old Town. By 2013 the population of the Old Town was just 1000 while the wider city had more than 200000 inhabitants. Today the structural structure of the old town in this area is currently in a disastrous state. Many houses are abandoned, in danger of collapsing or already in ruins. The old town today is a drastic example of an urban state of neglect. The Taranto Cathedral is located in the centre of the old town in a place, where the Greek settlers had a temple already. The construction of the church was started in the second half of the 10th century by the Byzantines during the reconstruction of the city. End of the 11th century the Byzantine structure was remodelled and enlarged by Norman builders. The current cathedral, dedicated Saint Cataldo, an Irish monk, who became bishop here in the 7th century, was built, "reusing" large parts of the Byzantine building and so creating a Romanesque basilica on a Latin Cross. The cathedral measures 84 meters in length and 24 in width, has a central nave, two side aisles and a transept. The nave and the aisles are divided by a double series of eight columns surmounted by differently made capitals. Obviously, the floor of the cathedral was covered by a large mosaic, just like it still exists in Otranto. Here only a few parts of the mosaic survived the times.

Taranto located on a peninsula was founded by Greek settlers and during the period of Greek colonization in Southern Italy, the city was among the most important in "Magna Graecia". During the Second Punic War, Taranto supported Hannibal in Italy and opened it´s doors to his troops in 212 BC, but when Romans recaptured Taranto three years later, they massacred the citizens and looted the town. It became a Roman colony later. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Taranto got fortified. In 547 Taranto asked a Byzantine general for support. He greatly reduced the size of the city in order to be able to defend it. So he separated the part of the isthmus from the actual city area, making an island out of the peninsula and fortified it strongly. Nevertheless, three years later, the city was conquered by the Ostrogoth troops of Totila. Later Taranto was ruled by Langobards. The city was conquered by the Saracens in 839 and an emirate existed up to 880 when it was taken by a Byzantine army, but in 927 the Saracens were back looted and destroyed the city. It was rebuilt under Byzantine power from 967 on. Normans conquered Taranto in the second half of the 11th century and founded the "Principality of Taranto" 1086, later bequeathed by Frederic II to his son Manfred. The Old Town ("Città Vecchia") still retains the same street layout of 967, when the Byzantines rebuilt it after Saracen troops had razed to the ground in 927. Still in 1746 the entire population of Taranto resided in Old Town. By 2013 the population of the Old Town was just 1000 while the wider city had more than 200000 inhabitants. Today the structural structure of the old town in this area is currently in a disastrous state. Many houses are abandoned, in danger of collapsing or already in ruins. The old town today is a drastic example of an urban state of neglect. The Taranto Cathedral is located in the centre of the old town in a place, where the Greek settlers had a temple already. The construction of the church was started in the second half of the 10th century by the Byzantines during the reconstruction of the city. End of the 11th century the Byzantine structure was remodelled and enlarged by Norman builders. The current cathedral, dedicated Saint Cataldo, an Irish monk, who became bishop here in the 7th century, was built, "reusing" large parts of the Byzantine building and so creating a Romanesque basilica on a Latin Cross. The cathedral measures 84 meters in length and 24 in width, has a central nave, two side aisles and a transept. The nave and the aisles are divided by a double series of eight columns surmounted by differently made capitals. Obviously, the floor of the cathedral was covered by a large mosaic, just like it still exists in Otranto. Here only a few parts of the mosaic survived the times.

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Torcello island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was populated. It was a town with a cathedral and bishops before St Mark's Basilica was built. Torcello was one of the first lagoon islands to be populated by those Veneti who fled the "terra ferma" to take shelter from the barbarian invasions, especially after Attila the Hun had destroyed the city of Altinum in 452. In 638, Torcello became the bishop’s official seat for more than a thousand years and the people of Altinum brought with them the relics of Saint Heliodorus, now the patron saint of the island. Torcello rapidly grew in importance as a political and trading center. In pre-Medieval times, Torcello was a much more powerful trading center than Venice. A serious issue for Torcello was that the swamp area of the lagoon around the island increased by the 14th century. Navigation in the laguna was impossible and traders ceased calling at the island. The growing swamps also seriously aggravated malaria. As a result, by the late 14th century, a substantial number of people left the island. In 1689, the bishopric transferred to Murano, and by 1797, the population had dropped to about 300. Today it is less than 20. Torcello's numerous palazzi, its twelve parishes, and its sixteen cloisters have almost disappeared since the Venetians recycled the useful building material. The island owes its importance in art history to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. The basilica seen today was consecrated in 1008 and was probably completed by the middle of the 11th century. It has much 11th and 12th-century Byzantine work, including large mosaics.

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Torcello island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was populated. It was a town with a cathedral and bishops before St Mark's Basilica was built. Torcello was one of the first lagoon islands to be populated by those Veneti who fled the "terra ferma" to take shelter from the barbarian invasions, especially after Attila the Hun had destroyed the city of Altinum in 452. In 638, Torcello became the bishop’s official seat for more than a thousand years and the people of Altinum brought with them the relics of Saint Heliodorus, now the patron saint of the island. Torcello rapidly grew in importance as a political and trading center. In pre-Medieval times, Torcello was a much more powerful trading center than Venice. A serious issue for Torcello was that the swamp area of the lagoon around the island increased by the 14th century. Navigation in the laguna was impossible and traders ceased calling at the island. The growing swamps also seriously aggravated malaria. As a result, by the late 14th century, a substantial number of people left the island. In 1689, the bishopric transferred to Murano, and by 1797, the population had dropped to about 300. Today it is less than 20. Torcello's numerous palazzi, its twelve parishes, and its sixteen cloisters have almost disappeared since the Venetians recycled the useful building material. The island owes its importance in art history to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. The basilica seen today was consecrated in 1008 and was probably completed by the middle of the 11th century. It has much 11th and 12th-century Byzantine work, including large mosaics.

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Torcello island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was populated. It was a town with a cathedral and bishops before St Mark's Basilica was built. Torcello was one of the first lagoon islands to be populated by those Veneti who fled the "terra ferma" to take shelter from the barbarian invasions, especially after Attila the Hun had destroyed the city of Altinum in 452. In 638, Torcello became the bishop’s official seat for more than a thousand years and the people of Altinum brought with them the relics of Saint Heliodorus, now the patron saint of the island. Torcello rapidly grew in importance as a political and trading center. In pre-Medieval times, Torcello was a much more powerful trading center than Venice. A serious issue for Torcello was that the swamp area of the lagoon around the island increased by the 14th century. Navigation in the laguna was impossible and traders ceased calling at the island. The growing swamps also seriously aggravated malaria. As a result, by the late 14th century, a substantial number of people left the island. In 1689, the bishopric transferred to Murano, and by 1797, the population had dropped to about 300. Today it is less than 20. Torcello's numerous palazzi, its twelve parishes, and its sixteen cloisters have almost disappeared since the Venetians recycled the useful building material. The island owes its importance in art history to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. The basilica seen today was consecrated in 1008 and was probably completed by the middle of the 11th century. It has much 11th and 12th-century Byzantine work, including large mosaics. This large mosaic was still under renovation in 2021. When the Episcopal Church was moved from here to Murano, a very similar mosaic was created in the Basilica of Murano.

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Torcello island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was populated. It was a town with a cathedral and bishops before St Mark's Basilica was built. Torcello was one of the first lagoon islands to be populated by those Veneti who fled the "terra ferma" to take shelter from the barbarian invasions, especially after Attila the Hun had destroyed the city of Altinum in 452. In 638, Torcello became the bishop’s official seat for more than a thousand years and the people of Altinum brought with them the relics of Saint Heliodorus, now the patron saint of the island. Torcello rapidly grew in importance as a political and trading center. In pre-Medieval times, Torcello was a much more powerful trading center than Venice. A serious issue for Torcello was that the swamp area of the lagoon around the island increased by the 14th century. Navigation in the laguna was impossible and traders ceased calling at the island. The growing swamps also seriously aggravated malaria. As a result, by the late 14th century, a substantial number of people left the island. In 1689, the bishopric transferred to Murano, and by 1797, the population had dropped to about 300. Today it is less than 20. Torcello's numerous palazzi, its twelve parishes, and its sixteen cloisters have almost disappeared since the Venetians recycled the useful building material. The island owes its importance in art history to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. The basilica seen today was consecrated in 1008 and was probably completed by the middle of the 11th century. It has much 11th and 12th-century Byzantine work, including large mosaics. Judgement Day

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Torcello island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was populated. It was a town with a cathedral and bishops before St Mark's Basilica was built. Torcello was one of the first lagoon islands to be populated by those Veneti who fled the "terra ferma" to take shelter from the barbarian invasions, especially after Attila the Hun had destroyed the city of Altinum in 452. In 638, Torcello became the bishop’s official seat for more than a thousand years and the people of Altinum brought with them the relics of Saint Heliodorus, now the patron saint of the island. Torcello rapidly grew in importance as a political and trading center. In pre-Medieval times, Torcello was a much more powerful trading center than Venice. A serious issue for Torcello was that the swamp area of the lagoon around the island increased by the 14th century. Navigation in the laguna was impossible and traders ceased calling at the island. The growing swamps also seriously aggravated malaria. As a result, by the late 14th century, a substantial number of people left the island. In 1689, the bishopric transferred to Murano, and by 1797, the population had dropped to about 300. Today it is less than 20. Torcello's numerous palazzi, its twelve parishes, and its sixteen cloisters have almost disappeared since the Venetians recycled the useful building material. The island owes its importance in art history to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. The basilica seen today was consecrated in 1008 and was probably completed by the middle of the 11th century. It has much 11th and 12th-century Byzantine work, including large mosaics. Judgement Day The excerpt shows groups of clergy (including Orthodox) and nuns waiting to enter paradise.

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Torcello island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It has been referred to as the parent island from which Venice was populated. It was a town with a cathedral and bishops before St Mark's Basilica was built. Torcello was one of the first lagoon islands to be populated by those Veneti who fled the "terra ferma" to take shelter from the barbarian invasions, especially after Attila the Hun had destroyed the city of Altinum in 452. In 638, Torcello became the bishop’s official seat for more than a thousand years and the people of Altinum brought with them the relics of Saint Heliodorus, now the patron saint of the island. Torcello rapidly grew in importance as a political and trading center. In pre-Medieval times, Torcello was a much more powerful trading center than Venice. A serious issue for Torcello was that the swamp area of the lagoon around the island increased by the 14th century. Navigation in the laguna was impossible and traders ceased calling at the island. The growing swamps also seriously aggravated malaria. As a result, by the late 14th century, a substantial number of people left the island. In 1689, the bishopric transferred to Murano, and by 1797, the population had dropped to about 300. Today it is less than 20. Torcello's numerous palazzi, its twelve parishes, and its sixteen cloisters have almost disappeared since the Venetians recycled the useful building material. The island owes its importance in art history to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. The basilica seen today was consecrated in 1008 and was probably completed by the middle of the 11th century. It has much 11th and 12th-century Byzantine work, including large mosaics. Judgement Day While in the backdrop the graves open, two angels blowing horns and luring man-devouring beasts. Behind the lion is an elephant.

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Solomon, who, as can be found in the Book of Kings, kept a harem of 700 wives and 300 concubines of non-Jewish origin.

Venice (ital. Venezia) is one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide with about 30 million visitors each year. I have already uploaded dozens of shots from previous visits, so I´ll try to cut down the number of uploads this time. Harrowing of Hell