St Stephen's Cathedral

St Stephen's Cathedral lies on Vescovado Square, in the heart of the town. According to the tradition, it was built in 1038 and dedicated to St Stephen. Its architecture and ornaments are tipical of the XI century venetian stile.
Inside there is the famous byzantine Golden-piece. The cilindric bell-tower was built in the same period of the Cathedral. It is considered one of the main attractions of Caorle for its structure, unique all over the world.
There are many sculptures, paintings and frescoes inside the Cathedral. The main work of art is the Golden-piece, which is behind the High Altar. It is an embossed, byzantine work of the VIII century, composed by six silver gilt paintings. The six paintings respectively represent: Christ on the Throne, The Virgin, The Archangel Gabriel, St Stephen, St Daniel Prophet and St John. According to the tradition, the Golden-piece was given to the community of Caorle from Catterina Cornaro, ex-Queen of Cipro, to thank for having saved herself from a sea storm, landing on the shores of the island.

The main sculptures are the marble holy water stoup in byzantine stile, which laies on a overturned capital, nearby the central door of the Cathedral; the byzantine St Andreas' Altar of the XVIII century, which is in the right aisle's Chapel; the wooden crucifix of the XV century, hanging from the central apse, and the six paintings on embossed copper gilt, which represent the stations of the Cross, produced by the architect Leghaghi in 1970. The main paintings are the six paintings on wood, which represent the Apostles: they are considered rare models of the late gothic-venetian stile of the Paolo Veneziano school.

Church of the Madonna of Angel

This church rises on the east extreme of the sea-wall of the island. Maybe, it is the oldest church of Caorle. Its romanesque bell-tower was built in the XIII century. It has a square shape, because its originally function was the sighting of enemy ships.
Despite the numerous renovations made during the centuries, which have partially damaged its artistic property, inside the church of the Madonna of Angel there are many interesting works of art. On the right wall there is a stone block coming from Istria, which is called "little well": according to the tradition, it is the heavy block on which laid the statue of the Madonna, found out by some fischermen. The ancient wooden statue has been destroyed by a fire broke out in 1923. The one, kept on the baroque Altar, is a copy of the original one and it has been possible to copy it because there is a painting that represents it. On the left wall there is a piece, which represents Papa Pio X, Venice's patriarch, painted by M. Bressanin in 1956. On the central wall of the High Chapel is the high relief of the Archangel St Michael, made by Andrea Dell'Aquila in 1595. Looking at the ceiling, it is possible to watch the marvellous fresco of the Madonna coming from the sea and the four Evangelists, made by Gino Filippi di Portogruaro in 1948. Outside the church, on the left side of the portal, there is a memorial tablet dedicated to Papa Giovanni XXIII, another Venice's patriarch.
This church has been renovated many times during the previous centuries, but, according to the tradition, it was originally built in the VI century by the villagers of Concordia Sagittaria, who emigrated to Caorle to escape from barbarian invasions. They dedicated this church to the Archangel Michael. The legend tells that some fischermen, while were fishing, saw a wooden statue of the Madonna, which was floating into the sea. The statue laid on a heavy, marble block and all the fischermen together didn't manage to bring it to the shore. Only a group of young boys, with the soft touch of their hands, achieved the goal. After this miraculous event, islanders decided to dedicate the church to the Blessed Virgin too: that's why its name is Madonna of Angel. Another incredible event happened to it: in 1727 a seastorm flooded Caorle, but the church was undamaged. Two marble crosses on both sides of the central portal of the church still remind that incredible event and mark the level reached by the sea water during the storm. Many historical documents are kept as evidence of the truth of that event.