Chiesa di San Nicolo al Lido (Church of Saint Nicholas on the Lido), Venice

Situated in the northern region of Venice's Lido, the Church of San Nicolò and its accompanying Franciscan monastery have a commanding view of the Fortezza di Sant'Andrea, which served as the primary defense for the main entrance to the lagoon.

The establishment of the church dates back to 1044 when the area lacked even a single brick wall. The Doge, accompanied by his retinue, would visit this church twice a year as it held strategic significance for the emerging Venetian power, being located at the main access to the sea. These visits took place on Ascension Day, following the aquatic wedding ceremony, and on the feast day of Saint Nicholas of Myra, also known as Father Christmas.

According to Venetian claims, the body of Saint Nicholas had been resting at this church since it was supposedly stolen from the Norman port of Bari in 1099. However, in reality, the theft never occurred, and the Venetian raid on Bari was a clever ploy to deceive the Normans. The grand display on the saint's day was a propagandist fabrication.

Noteworthy features of the present-day church include its splendid 17th-century choir stalls, adorned with numerous scenes depicting the life of Saint Nicholas, as well as a few remnants of mosaic that have survived from the original 11th-century structure.