Porta di San Giovanni
The “Porta San Giovanni” (St. John Door) was built at the end of the 12th century. It takes its name from the nearby church devoted to St. John the Evangelist, although throughout the centuries it was also called “Porta del Bando (Ban Door) or Porta San Lazzaro (St. Lazarus Door). Around the middle of the16th century it was completely restructured and the southern front, a main entrance into the town, took on a severe and monumental look with a classical style gable. Above the Roman-styled arch a bas-relief was placed with a St.Mark’s lion “andante” (in full figure, expressing dominance over the territory): today one can hardly make out the outline of the animal which, as a symbol of Venetian power, was chiselled away by the Napoleonic soldiers. The San Giovanni hamlet, just outside the walls of the town, became an important trading area for the transit of merchandise going to or coming from the nearby “fondaco”.