The ancient name of the city was Caprulae (possibly because of the wild goats that grazed in this area, or in honour of pagan goddess Capris); Caorle was founded in the 1st century BC, as a Roman bench mark. Many archeological findings confirm that; for istance the sacrificial altar called "Ara Licovia" (from Licovi's Roman family), today kept in the cathedral. Caorle gained importance when people from Concordia Sagittaria looked for a refuge because of the barbarian invasions. In that period, the Paleo-Christian church was built, some remains of which are today kept in the cathedral museum. In the 11th century the current cathedral was built, the see of many bishops. During the following centuries, Caorle became one of the nine important cities of the Republic of Venice; the witness of that are the many Istrian flagstones which composed some monuments in the city, and also the ancient structure of the city, with bridge and canals, like a little Venice. At the end of the Serenissima Republic and with the napoleonic invasions, Caorle went into decline; the diocese was moved to Chioggia and Caorle was attached to Patriarch of Venice; for a memory from ancient times Caorle still is an ecclesiastical titular see. In the recent past, Caorle was an important strategic location in World War I, until the Italian Army started its counteroffensive from the Piave. The Cathedral of St. Stephen is the most important monument of Caorle; built in 1038, it is a particular example of Romanesque and "Byzantine-Ravennate" style. Its faade is simple; near the central door there are two bas-reliefs (left St. Agatonico, right St. William); the interior is organized with a nave and two side aisles, divided by pillars and columns which support semi-circular arches, and it has a truss-beam roof. Outside, the characteristic bell tower, of 1048, rises to a height of 48 meters. It is a typical example of romanesque style, but it has a cylindrical structure, and it is surmounted by a cone-shaped cusp, that makes it unique in the world. The church of Blessed Virgin of the Angel is built on a little promontory on the sea. In ancient times, the church had three naves, but the sea repeatedly destroyed one of them. So in eighteenth century the church was rebuilt, with the structure that it has today. The legend says that one day a number of fishermen saw a light on the sea; when they approached it, they found a statue of the Virgin Mary with Child, and they carried it to the shore. The bishop and the townspeople tried to carry the statue to the cathedral but it was very heavy; so the bishop called a group of children (because of their innocence) and they succeeded in carrying it to the nearby church of Archangel Michael (for this "Virgin of the Angel"). Devotion to the "Virgin of the sea" is very important for Caprulan people; to her are dedicated two festivals: the annual "feast of incoronation" (during which there is the traditional "fire of the bell tower", with fireworks) and the five-year feast of the Virgin of the Angel (Pope John XXIII wanted it to take place every five years). Other points of interest nearby: the lagoon of Caorle, Venice, Treviso, Trieste