Chioggia (; , ; ) is a coastal town and (municipality) of the Metropolitan City of Venice in the

Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...

region of northern

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Geography

The town is located on a small island at the southern entrance to the Venetian Lagoon about south of

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

( by road);

causeway A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet T ...

s connect it to the mainland and to its ''

frazione A ''frazione'' (: ''frazioni'') is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' ('municipality') in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidat ...

'', nowadays a quarter, of Sottomarina. The population of the ''comune'' is around 50,000, with the town proper accounting for about half of that and Sottomarina for most of the rest. The municipality, located in south of the province, close to the provinces of

Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...

and

Rovigo Rovigo (, ; ) is a city and communes of Italy, commune in the region of Veneto, Northeast Italy, the capital of the province of Rovigo, eponymous province. Geography Rovigo stands on the low ground known as Polesine, by rail southwest of Veni ...

, borders with Campagna Lupia, Cavarzere, Codevigo, Cona, Correzzola, Loreo, Rosolina and

History

Chioggia and Sottomarina were not prominent in antiquity, although they are first mentioned in Pliny as the ''fossa Clodia''. Local legend attributes this name to its founding by a ''Clodius'', but the origin of this belief is not known. The name of the town has changed often, being Clodia, Cluza, Clugia, Chiozza, Chiozzo,. Chioggio, and Chioggia. The most ancient documents naming Chioggia date from the 6th century AD, when it was part of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

. Chioggia was destroyed by King Pippin of Italy in the 9th century, but rebuilt around a new industry based on salt pans. In the Middle Ages, Chioggia proper was known as ''Clugia major'', whereas ''Clugia minor'' was a sand bar about 600 m further into the Adriatic. A free commune and an episcopal see from 1110, it had later an important role in the so-called War of Chioggia between Genoa and Venice, being conquered by Genoa in 1378 and finally by Venice in June 1380. Although the town remained largely autonomous, it was always thereafter subordinate to Venice. On 14 March 1381, Chioggia concluded an alliance with

Zadar Zadar ( , ), historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian, ; see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar ...

and Trogir against Venice, and finally Chioggia became better protected by Venice in 1412, because

Šibenik Šibenik (), historically known as Sebenico (), is a historic town in Croatia, located in central Dalmatia, where the river Krka (Croatia), Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea. Šibenik is one of the oldest Croatia, Croatian self-governing cities ...

became in 1412 the seat of the main

customs Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...

office and the seat of the salt consumers office with a

monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...

on the salt trade in Chioggia and on the whole

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...

Culture

Until the 19th century, women in Chioggia wore an outfit based on an apron which could be raised to serve as a

veil A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the human head, head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has be ...

. Chioggia is also known for lace-making; like Pellestrina, but unlike

Burano Burano is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy, near Torcello at the northern end of the lagoon, known for its lace work and brightly coloured homes. The primary economy is tourism. Geography Burano is from Venice, a 45-minute tr ...

, this lace is made using bobbins. Chioggia served Carlo Goldoni as the setting of his play '' Le baruffe chiozzotte'', one of the classics of Italian literature: a ''baruffa'' was a loud brawl, and ''chiozzotto'' (today more frequently ''chioggiotto'' in Italian, or ''cioxoto'' in Venetian) is the

demonym A demonym (; ) or 'gentilic' () is a word that identifies a group of people ( inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place ( hamlet, village, town, city, region, ...

for Chioggia. Goldoni took his setting seriously: the play is replete with lacemaking, fishermen, and other local color.

Main sights

Chioggia is often called "Little

", with a few canals, chief among them the Canale Vena, and the characteristic narrow streets known as ''calli''. Chioggia has several medieval churches, much reworked in the period of its greatest prosperity in the 16th and 17th centuries. The church dedicated to St. Mary of the Assumption, founded in the eleventh century, became a cathedral in 1110, then was rebuilt as Chioggia Cathedral from 1623 by Baldassare Longhena. St. Andrew's Church (18th century) has a bell tower from the 11th to 12th centuries, the most ancient tower watch in the world. The interior has a ''Crucifixion'' by Palma the Elder.

Economy

Fishing is historically the livelihood of the port, and remains a significant economic sector. Other important modern industries include textiles, brick-making and steel; and Sottomarina, with 60 hotels and 17 campgrounds, is almost entirely given over to seafront tourism.

Demography

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Traditions and folklore

During the third week end of June, the festival of Palio della Marciliana takes place.

Catholic churches

* Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, is the main church of Chioggia and the

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

of the diocese of the same name; * Basilica minore di San Giacomo Apostolo, in March of 1906

Pope Pius X Pope Pius X (; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing Modernism in the Catholic Church, modern ...

he raised it to the dignity of a minor basilica * Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli Pietro e Paolo, built in the 14th century by Pietro Mazzagallo; * Tempietto di San Martino, small church in gothic style construction began in 1394; * Chiesa di San Francesco, built at the end of the 14th century, interiors were embellished in Rococo style in 1743; * Chiesa di Santa Caterina , the current structure developed in the 17th century under the project of Baldassarre Longhena; * Chiesa della Santissima Trinità, through the church you can access to Rossi's oratory with its ceiling decorated with frames; * Chiesa del Patrocinio della Beata Vergine Maria e di San Filippo Neri, built thanks to Ludovico Alvise Manin in the 18th century; * Chiesa di Sant'Andrea Apostolo, it has a bell tower from the 10th century watchtower which houses the oldest functioning tower clock in the world; * Chiesa di San Domenico, it contains a fourteenth-century Crucifix much venerated by the local citizens;

Particularity of surnames

Chioggia represents an almost unique demographic case in Italy: the most common surname among the inhabitants of Chioggia is Zennaro, while the most common surnames of Sottomarina are Boscolo and Tiozzo. Because of the large number of people with the same surname, the

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

officialized what is known as "detto" (popular nicknames used to distinguish the various branches of the same family). These "third names" are inserted in every official document, including the driving license and the identity card.

Notable people

* Jacopo De Dondi (1290–1359), doctor, astronomer and clock-maker. * Giovanni De Dondi (ca.1330 – 1388), an Italian physician, astronomer and mechanical engineer. *

Niccolò de' Conti Niccolò is an Italian male given name, derived from the Greek Nikolaos meaning "Victor of people" or "People's champion". There are several male variations of the name: Nicolò, Niccolò, Nicolas, and Nicola. The female equivalent is Nicole (name), ...

(ca.1395–1469), an Italian merchant, explorer, and writer. *

John Cabot John Cabot ( ; 1450 – 1499) was an Italians, Italian navigator and exploration, explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England, Henry VII, King of England is the earliest known Europe ...

(1450 – ca.1500), an Italian navigator and explorer. *

Gioseffo Zarlino Gioseffo Zarlino (31 January or 22 March 1517 – 4 February 1590) was an Italian Music theory, music theorist and composer of the Renaissance music, Renaissance. He made a large contribution to the theory of counterpoint as well as to musical t ...

(1517–1590), Italian musical theorist. *

Rosalba Carriera Rosalba Carriera (12 January 1673 – 15 April 1757) was an Italians, Italian Rococo painter. In her younger years, she specialized in portrait miniatures. Carriera would later become known for her pastel portraits, helping popularize the medium ...

(1673–1757), a Venetian Rococo painter. * Stefano Andrea Renier (1759–1830), an Italian naturalist, zoologist and scientist. * Giuseppe Olivi (1769–1795), an Italian abbot and naturalist. * Luigi Taccheo (1849–1940), an Italian pianist and composer. * Aristide Cavallari (1849–1914), a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Patriarch of Venice. * Giuseppe Veronese (1854–1917), an Italian mathematician. * Eugenio Bonivento (1880–1956), an Italian painter. * Lina Merlin (1887–1979), an Italian politician, promoted " Merlin law". * Bruno Maderna (1920–1973), an Italian conductor and composer.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Chioggia is twinned with: * Lamia (

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

, 2007) *

Saint-Tropez Saint-Tropez ( , ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Var (department), Var departments of France, department and the regions of France, region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Southern France. It is west of Nice and east of Marseille, o ...

(

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, 2008)

Trivia

Chioggia gives its name to a variety of beetroot, radicchio (Italian chicory), and

pumpkin A pumpkin is a cultivar, cultivated winter squash in the genus ''Cucurbita''. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, but does not possess a scientific definition. It may be used in reference to many dif ...