After our two o'clock departure from Lisboa, the good folks at
the Antico Mulino send a driver for us, and we arrive in plenty of time for dinner. Ah,
traveling in Europe is so quick and comfortable.
The next day, we meet our friends and plan a day trip to
Chioggia (pop 49,744 in 2015), the southern-most island in the
Laguna di Venezia, and famous for the
Sottomarina (southern beach). It's known as "
Little Venice", which may seem a little obvious, given its proximity to "Big Venice".
We drive around the island town, looking for parking, but must park in the Sottomarina. Then, we walk north over the bridge on the Viale della Stazione (passing the small train station) and through the Porta Santa Maria.
The chunky brick church is the
Cattedrale Santa Maria Assunta (17th century), but it is shut for lunch. There is, at least, a lovely line of saints along the water's edge, the
Balaustra del Sagraeto, with Santa
Madonna con Bambino (early 18th century) draped in flowers and facing the transept. So, we walk past the facade of the Cattedrale and find the beautiful
Tempietto di San Martino Vescovo (14th century), with its lovely octagonal tower; the tall
campanile (14th century) seems to serve the Cattedrale though it is contemporary with the Tempietto.
The Corse del Popolo is also on the other side of the Cattedrale. It's a wide street lined with parked cars and bike lanes – very un-Venice-like. But the streetscape and the building stock are very Venice-like, as we recall from the 'local' neighborhoods like
Giudecca, and include several chapels and churches.
The Corso widens further in front of the
Basilica Minore di San Giacomo Apostolo (18th century), where there is a dramatic monument to the fallen from
World War I. The facade seems unfinished and the signage outside describes the miraculous icon of
Madonna della Navicella ("Our Lady of the Spaceship" –?), but the door is open, and we decide to go in.
The interior is wide and undivided, in
Neoclassical Corinthian, with a cream-colored giant order set on a plinth. The space is dominated by the ceiling fresco,
Martirio e Gloria di San Giacomo (Alessandro & Romualdo Mauri, and by
Antonio Marinetti, 1787-90); the image rises from the corner vaults with a convincing
trompe-l'œil. In the lunette above the altar is an image of God with arrows and an army of angels, apparently stopped from delivering His wrath on Chioggia by the Madonna, with no alien involvement.
Off in search of a lunch spot, we find the
Chiesa di Sant'Andrea Apostolo (18th century), a much more 'complete' and 'standard' church, with stone facade, chapel aisles, and domed crossing. Unfortunately, the
orologio della torre (10th century) is under renovation and covered with screens – evidently, the oldest working clock tower in the world.
The familiar
thermae window and pedimented portal underscore at the grandeur that was absent at San Giacomo – though perhaps unnecessary in a town like Chioggia. The interior has a similar feel but elevated with veined marble columns and the decorated octagonal dome, featuring
L'Occhio della Provvidenza.
San Giacomo's consolation may be that the frescos by hometown boy Marinetti, also known as il Chiozzotro, are far more compelling.
We take lunch at a shady
trattoria near the Ponte Caneva, which provides a glorious view of the
Ponte di Vigo (17th century), the last bridge before the Laguna Veneta. Here, Chioggia's "Little Venice" characterization is clear, but more like
Murano than
San Marco: reflective, still canals and low, painted workers' housing blocks.
The Corso ends at the Piazetta di Vigo, surrounded by hotels and restaurants. The Ponte turns to face the
Chiesa Sconsacrata di Santa Croce (14th-19th centuries), a compact and tidy, temple-front. We cross and walk south along the romantic and colorful
Canale Vena.
We make a quick stop inside the
Chiesa dei Patrocinio della Beata Vergine Maria ("
dei Filippini", 18th century), if only to get out of the steady sun. The ceiling panel shows
La Vergine Venerata da San Filippo Neri mentre i Padri Modonese e Gastaldelli Presentano al Conte Manin il Disegno della Chiesa (Giacomo Casa, 1865)
From the stoop and nearby Ponte Filippini there are excellent views up to the angel atop the orologio della torre.
As we continue along the Canal, it seems that as the blocks get smaller and simpler, they get more colorful. We cut through the block to the Canale San Domenico, where the large fishing boats lie moored, and turn north again.
At the end of the Canale, we cross the Ponte San Domenico to the Chiesa di San Domenico (18th-19th centuries), an enormous brick building standing on its own
isola. This contains a very large, bright, and open worship space with barrel-vaulted side chapels and tall clerestory windows. The altarpiece holds a remarkable, archaic
Crocifisso. under the text from
Psalm 77:19:
In mari via tua, et semitæ tuæ in aquis multis;
et vestigia tua non cognoscuntur.
[Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters,
and thy footsteps are not known.]
Returning and finding the door open, we finish the day in the Cattedrale.
Against expectation, the Cattedrale faces east, and the interior is tall, crisp, and white. The chancel is under a cross vault, and the altar sits below an unadorned half dome.
Other side chapels, like the
Cappella di Santa Maria Assunta, are set back in the aisles. All of this allows the interior architecture to truly take centerstage.
Tomorrow, we head to
Vicenza to join the Palladio tour, which ends in Venezia; Chioggia is a wonderful appetizer.
