Hotels in Caorle

Caorle was founded in the 1st century BC by Romans. Many archeological findings confirm this attribution, for instance, the sacrificial altar called Ara Licovia (Licovian Altar, from the Roman Licovi family), today housed in the cathedral. A safe zone between the estuaries of the Livenza (Latin: Liquentia) and Lemene (Latin: Romantinum) rivers, Caorle gained importance when people from Concordia Sagittaria arrived as refugees during the Barbarian Invasions.

Main sights

Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Stephen was built in 1038, an example of Romanesque and of the Byzantine-Ravennate style. It contains many masterpieces of the Venetian school of art, the most important of which is The Last Supper, painted by Gregorio Lazzarini (master of famous painter Tiepolo).

The cylindrical bell tower of the cathedral.
Outside, the characteristic bell tower, dating to 1048, rises to a height of 48 meters. It is a typical example of Romanesque style, but it has a cylindrical structure, and it is surmounted by a cone-shaped cusp, that makes it unique in the world.

The cathedral owns a liturgical museum, inaugurated on September 13, 1975, by Patriarch Albino Luciani (future Pope John Paul I) in the old bishops’ chapel; it keep vestments, altar cloths and holy vessels of the Caprulan bishops, and of Pope John XXIII, who was very attached to Caorle since he was also Patriarch of Venice.

The Church of Blessed Virgin of the Angel is built on a little promontory on the sea. In ancient times, the church had three naves, but the sea repeatedly destroyed one of them, so in the 18th century the church was rebuilt, with the structure that it has today. The legend says that one day a number of fishermen saw a light on the sea; when they approached it, they found a statue of the Virgin Mary with the Child, and they carried it ashore.

Devotion to the “Virgin of the sea” is very important to the Caprulans; to her are dedicated two festivals, the annual Feast of Incoronation, during which takes place the traditional “fire of the bell tower”, with fireworks, and the Feast of the Virgin of the Angel which, in accordance with the wishes of Pope John XXIII, takes place every five years.

Being the Church at the end of the waterfront promenade the bell tower is used as a lighthouse.