San Nicolò dei Mendicoli, Medieval church in Dorsoduro district, Venice, Italy
San Nicolò dei Mendicoli is a church in Venice's Dorsoduro neighborhood built from brick with Romanesque features. Its interior displays a central nave with gilded wooden statues and Corinthian columns that have distinctive decorative hooks on their capitals.
The church was founded in the 7th century and underwent major rebuilding in the 12th century. Its bell tower was added in the 18th century and has marked the building's appearance since then.
The name 'dei Mendicoli' refers to the poor fishermen who lived in this part of Venice and were known as the Nicolotti community. Their work and daily lives shaped this neighborhood for centuries.
The interior is protected by drainage channels around the altar area and waterproof membranes under the marble flooring to handle Venice's frequent flooding. These solutions show the practical measures needed to preserve the church in this challenging environment.
The interior served as a filming location in 1973 for the psychological thriller 'Don't Look Now' directed by Nicolas Roeg. This connection to cinema has drawn the attention of film enthusiasts from around the world.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
