San Giorgio Maggiore, island of faith and culture

 The small island of San Giorgio Maggiore, located in front of Saint Mark basin at a short distance from Giudecca Island, has been named after the church of San Giorgio (Saint George), which was designed by Palladio just like the nearby church of Redentore on Giudecca. Its complete name is island of San Giorgio Maggiore, in order to distinguish it from the island of San Giorgio in Alga. After the suppression of its monastery, the island served as a military area. Today, a nice little harbour delights the view of tourists directed to Saint Mark. However, the church and the ancient monastery, today home to the Fondazione Cini, are still worth a visit.