San Nicolò dei Mendicoli ("Saint Nicholas of the Beggars") is a church, which is located in the sestiere of Dorsoduro in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

History

The

islet An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...

where the original church was located previously housed poor fishermen, hence the addition of ''mendicoli'' ("beggars") to the name of San Nicolò. From then on, the inhabitants were called ''Nicolotti''. The present structure dates from about the 12th century, with frequent reconstructions. The present bell tower was added in 1764 to replace an older one. Chiesa di San Nicolò dei Mendicoli - Statua di San Nicolò XIIIe.jpg, Saint Nicholas 13th century. San Nicolò dei Mendicoli - Porch of the north entrance.jpg, Porch of the north entrance, added in the 15th century. Chiesa di San Nicolò dei Mendicoli - Campanile Campiello de l'oratorio.jpg, Bell tower of the thirteenth century. The entrance lies on the right of the nave. The nave is bordered by peculiar

Corinthian Corinthian or Corinthians may refer to: *Several Pauline epistles, books of the New Testament of the Bible: **First Epistle to the Corinthians **Second Epistle to the Corinthians **Third Epistle to the Corinthians (Orthodox) *A demonym relating to ...

-like columns. The hooked bills of the capitals derive from the coats of arms of patron families. In the chancel is a 15th-century statue of Saint Nicholas holding three golden spheres, symbolizing the money donated, in his legend, to save three girls from prostitution. The canvases on the nave walls were made by various painters, including Alvise Benfatto. Two end panels on the ceiling are by Leonardo Corona and those in the middle by Francesco Montemezzano. The church and its interiors were used extensively in the 1973 Nick Roeg film

Don't Look Now ''Don't Look Now'' ( it, A Venezia... un Dicembre rosso shocking, lit=In Venice... a shocking red December) is a 1973 English-language film in the thriller genre directed by Nicolas Roeg, adapted from the 1971 short story by Daphne du Mauri ...

. San Nicolò dei Mendicoli (Venice).jpg, Interior San Nicolò dei Mendicoli (Venice) - High Altar.jpg, High Altar San Nicolò dei Mendicoli (Venice) ceiling.jpg, Ceilling by Francesco Montemezzano. San Nicolò dei Mendicoli (Venice) Organ.jpg, Organ San Nicolò dei Mendicoli (Venice) Font.jpg, Baptismal font Chiesa di San Nicolò dei Mendicoli - Cappella.jpg, The right chapel

References

* Roman Catholic churches in Venice 12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy {{Italy-church-stub