On the southern bank of the Grand Canal, close to the old Customs House and across from Piazza San Marco, sits a church with a beautiful and majestic dome that is one of the icons of Venice’s skyline — the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (or Salute church as it’s often called). It’s a little off the main St. Mark’s tourist path, but worth a little effort to visit.
When the plague infested Venice in 1630, killing about a third of the population, the Venetian Senate decided to build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The church was designed by then well-known architect Baldassare Longhena. Construction began in 1631 but was not completed for many decades. The weight of the massive stone church could not be supported without extensive bracing efforts requiring insertion of 1,000,000 wood piers into the underlying sandy soil, an effort taking many years. The church was not completed until 1687, after Longhena had died (so that he could not witness the completion of his masterpiece).
(Salute church, viewed from the back, its belltowers and the second dome evident)
The Catholic church has an octagonal shape, its large dome supported by buttresses. A second smaller dome is hidden behind the large dome, as are two bell-towers. There are several minor chapels.
As one would expect from a church with such magnificent domes, its interior is lofty and spacious, as you can see in the following images:
The main altar, shown in the following photos, contains a Byzantine Icon dating to the 12th or 13th century. It originated in Crete and was brought to Venice in 1670. The Baroque high altar arrangement was designed by Longhena himself,
In the side chapels there are canvases by Giordano, Titian and Tintoretto, among others. One of the pleasures of visiting churches in Venice is that you get to see great works of original art displayed as the artists had intended them to be viewed. Here are some examples of these fine works of art:.
Every year, on November 21, Festa della Madonna della Salute is celebrated and remains to this day a popular event. Venetians build a floating bridge across the Grand Canal, from San Marco to the Salute church, where locals go to worship the Virgin Mary. Gondoliers bring their paddles to be blessed by one of the church priests.
The easiest way to get to Santa Maria della Salute is by vaporetto Line 1, disembarking at the Salute station.
Thanks for all the wonderful photos.
In research for my, yet to be published, murder mystery, locating photos was difficult. The basilica holds a prominent position in the story.
If I may, I’d like to make one correction to your text. The basilica is known as La Salute, not the singular, Salute. I’d also like to add the old Customs House is the now the Punta della Dogana art museum.