San Nicolò al Lido

Open: 9-12/16-18. Closed: Tuesday. 

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San Nicolò al Lido was founded in 1043 by Doge Domenico Contarini, whose statue we see above the portal. The church, which houses some of the relics of Saint Nicolas, the patron saint of sailors, was rebuilt in 1626-9. However, the façade was never completed. 

The interior takes the form of a single nave with side chapels. The church's main attraction are the beautifully carved walnut choir stalls (1636), the work of Giovanni da Crema and Camillo di Luca. The twenty-seven panels depict scenes from the life of Saint Nicholas. 

As the church lies near the northern tip of the island, close to the main entrance to the lagoon, it was often used by the doge as a place to receive official visitors. It was also the setting for the traditional mass of thanksgiving, which took place during the annual celebration of the Sposalizio del Mare (Marriage of the Sea). 

The church of San Nicolo was originally attached to a Benedictine monastery, but the latter was suppressed in 1770. An attractive cloister survives from 1530. 

San Nicolò al Lido

Choir stalls

Doge Domenico Contarini