Color photo: depicts the church of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli taken from the opposite bank. The bell tower, the adjacent bridge, and the column with the lion of St. Mark can also be seen. A boat is moored on the shore, while red benches and people sitting in the shade of maritime pines can be seen on the field in front.

The church and bell tower of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli (Marco Trevisan, Bazzmann+Venipedia)

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The church of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli, one of the oldest in Venice and in a cosy and quiet location, was built perhaps in the 7th century and destroyed in the fire of 1106. Dedicated to San Nicolò, protector of fishermen and sailors, it was remodelled several times and preserves the central apse, the nave columns and a mullioned window. The Mendicoli, a community of fishermen, took care of the church, financing restorations and embellishments ([...] in about twenty-six years, they spent twelve or thirteen thousand ducats to embellish the church and maintain their altars, wrote parish priest Lando in 1604).

Tradition holds that this church is one of the oldest in Venice, built in the 7th century and was one of the 25 places of worship that were destroyed in the fire of 1106.The origin of the name 'Mendicoli' has two interpretations: the first as a derivation of 'Mendigola', the ancient name of the island on which it stands, the second as a reference to the humble economic condition of the inhabitants of the area.The dedication to San Nicolò, protector of fishermen and sailors, is probably due to its geographical position, in an extreme area of the city close to the mainland and the ancient mouth

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