Did you know that the world’s oldest clock is in Chioggia

Here is another interesting surprise for tourists who travel at the end of the summer season, who love to discover the beauties of Italy, far from the summerly crowds. In the months of September and October the mysteries of the Venetian territory attract the more curious of visitors. The air is fresh while you navigate. The sky is blue, clear and profound. We point the bow southwards and let the most famous islands of the Venetian Lagoon slide beside us. What we want to find today is not to be found in the majestic Venice, which hosts a multitude of monuments of pieces of art, but more in the south, in the less known island of Chioggia.

This is the southest city in the Venetian lagoon, which, thanks to its popular beaches, fills with Italian as well foreign tourists in summer; it is a very particular location, with a typical summertime seaside flair. However, when tourism decreases, we can get to know the authentic side of Chioggia, the one which is called “Little Venice” because of its resemblance to its big sister. Only few people know that in Chioggia there is the world’s oldest clock. Yes, that’s true! It’s unbelievable that until a few years ago, nobody was paying particular attention to this clock. Only during works to restore the tower in which it is located, at the end of the 90ies, was it “discovered”, or better to say, “understood”.

The world record of “longevity” was ripped from the clock in Salisbury (1386), which with its well-worn 636 years was, until then, considered to be the most antique. But it turned out that the clock from Chioggia was already rotating long before that date, with good peace of our English friends who, once again, come in second. It’ is not known for sure who built it, nor who developed the mechanism. But one thing we know for sure: just as all other mysteries, there is a legend liked to it, full of mysterious deaths and ghosts with mechanic skills.

Climbing up the staircase of Sant ’Andrea’s tower, in the historical centre of Chioggia, is one of those things you really should not miss. But we don’t want to spoil all the mysteries of this place. We leave it to you to discover the rest; when you get to this city, on your river-boat, between September and October.

Torre dell'orologio Campanile di Sant'Andrea