Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Chioggia)

Baroque cathedral of the Diocese of Chioggia — the largest building in this lesser-visited fishing town at the southern edge of the Venetian Lagoon.

The Cathedral of Chioggia serves as the main church of the Diocese of Chioggia and is the largest building in this small fishing town at the southern tip of the Venetian Lagoon. The current Baroque structure was begun in 1627, replacing an earlier church. Chioggia is often called the smaller, more authentic Venice — tourists rarely make it here, and locals dominate the streets and canals. Inside the cathedral are numerous artworks including paintings by Venetian masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. The surrounding canals and fish market lanes make a visit a quieter counterpoint to the bustle of the Serenissima.