[Nov. 2024] On the second day in Chioggia in the Veneto region of Italy, after breakfast of a large croissant, cappuccino, and freshly squeezed orange juice at a bar next to the hotel, we went out for a walk around the city.
It was a beautiful day today, too.
We started with the cathedral in front of us.
Its official name is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
It was originally built in the 11th century, but it burned down and was rebuilt between 1627 and 1648.
It is said to be in the Baroque style, but the inside was surprisingly simple.
The bell tower stands alone across a small square.
This is said to date back to the 13th century.
It was 64 meters high, and it was impressive to see it standing tall against the blue sky.
By the way, inside the cathedral, there were two statues dressed in what looked like traditional costumes, which caught my eye.
There is a sign next to it, and according to it, these are brothers called St. Felice and St. Fortunato.
They lived from the end of the 3rd century to the beginning of the 4th century, and were from Vicenza, also in the Veneto region.
They were said to have been decapitated while praying in the forest during the period when Christianity was oppressed.
It seems that the relics of these two men are in this cathedral.
Next to the bell tower is the Church of San Martino.
This church was closed and we couldn’t go inside, but it is said to have originated in the 13th century.
Then, there was a church next to the hotel where we stayed.
In contrast to the magnificent cathedral, this is a small church that looks like ruins.
It has a long name, La Chiesa dei Santi Aposteli Pietro e Paolo.
These saints, Pietro and Paolo, are apparently the patron saints of fishermen.
Chioggia is a fishing town, after all.
I like these small, simple churches because they have a certain charm.
