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San Giacomo di Rialto : The large 24-hour clock makes the church easily identifiable, once you cross the Rialto Bridge
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Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto

Church of San Giacomo at Rialto

Quaint Gothic church with a large, unusual 15th-century clock on its facade.

Featured in Free Admission

What makes it special

Possibly Venice’s oldest church

According to tradition, the original church was built by a carpenter in the year 421, coinciding with the legendary founding of Venice.

Unique 24-hour clock

Built in 1410, it features a single hand shaped like a ray of sunshine and a Roman numeral dial that places noon on the left and midnight on the right.

Rare Gothic portico

One of the few surviving examples in Venice, it once sheltered bankers and money changers conducting business in front of the church.

The Hunchback of Rialto

The statue of the 'gobbo' served as a podium for proclamations and as the final stop in a public punishment: offenders were forced to run naked from Piazza San Marco, ending their ordeal by kissing the hunchback — a humiliating ritual meant to spare them further disgrace.

San Giacomo di Rialto : Il Gobbo di Rialto (the Hunchback of the Rialto) is a marble statue located opposite the church

Open Gallery for more insights

Your experience here

  • Enter a small, ancient church where time stands still.
  • See the hunchback statue in a new light — now that you know its purpose.
  • Admire a rare clockface, a glimpse into bygone timekeeping.

Open Gallery to get the feel

See another rare portico

The portico was a typical feature of many Venetian churches, though it has mostly disappeared today.

The one at San Nicolo dei Mendicoli served as a gathering place for poor religious women.

San Nicolo dei Mendicoli : Once a common feature of Venetian churches, this portico was a meeting spot for poor religious women

What to see nearby

These top spots are just a short walk from San Giacomo di Rialto:

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