Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
A white Baroque church with a dome, built in thanks after the 1630 plague. It stands at the mouth of the Grand Canal and is the most striking silhouette on the Venice skyline. It houses works by Titian and Tintoretto.
The Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute stands on the tip of Dorsoduro, at the triangle where the Grand Canal flows into the Bay of St Mark. In 1630, the plague in Venice killed a third of the population. The Senate vowed to build a church to ask the Virgin Mary for protection. Baldassare Longhena, who was 26 years old, designed it. It was completed in 1687. The church has an octagonal floor plan, a double dome, 125 statues on the facade, and giant volute buttresses. It is the masterpiece of Venetian Baroque architecture and the landmark seen from the Accademia Bridge and St Mark’s Square.
Highlights: The Byzantine icon of the Madonna della Salute on the main altar. In the Sacristy (admission 6 euros), Titian’s ceiling paintings “Cain and Abel,” “David and Goliath,” and “The Sacrifice of Isaac,” along with Tintoretto’s “The Wedding at Cana.” Every year on November 21, the Festa della Salute takes place. The city government builds a temporary pontoon bridge across the Grand Canal from St Mark’s to the church. Venetians, young and old, come to light candles. It is one of the city’s most important religious festivals. The church is free to enter, and it is open from 09:30 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:30. Next door, the Customs House (Punta della Dogana) is now the contemporary art museum of the Pinault Collection (admission 15 euros). Its tip terrace offers excellent views of St Mark’s Bay and San Giorgio Maggiore island. Tip: Combine a half-day route through Dorsoduro with the Accademia Gallery and the Guggenheim Museum, and watch the sunset from the tip of the Customs House. Getting there: Vaporetto Line 1 to Salute stop, or take a traghetto from St Mark’s. Tips: Keep quiet inside the church and cover your shoulders. Avoid visiting during the afternoon Mass. Sitting or lying on the steps is not allowed.
Opening hours
09:30–12:00, 15:00–17:30
Nearby sights
- Punta della Dogana
- Teatro La Fenice
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection
- Scala Contarini del Bovolo
- Museo Correr
- St Mark's Campanile
- Accademia Bridge & Gallerie dell'Accademia
- St Mark's Clocktower