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Venice and the Festival of Health
Venice! Home of the Grand Canal and Piazza San Marco, bounded on the east by the church
of Santa Maria della Salute.
Walking up the magnificent steps, you're swept up into a magnificent dome-like structure, complete with baroque scrolls and statues. Inside the church,
one marvels at the octagonal shape. Titian's altarpiece of San Marco Enthroned as well as frescoes of Old Testament scenes (including Cain Killing
Abel) are featured in the sacristy. Another wall hosts Tintoretto's dynamic Marriage at Cana.
What you may not know is that the beauty of the church masks a history of plague and suffering.
Nearly 150,000 Venetians were killed by a plague in October 1630. Desperate to save the people, the Venetian Senate made an offer to God: 'Stop the
plague, and we'll build a church to honor the Virgin Mary.' Within weeks, the epidemic that devastated Venice faded; in turn, the Venetians sought an
architect.
Though relatively unknown in his profession, Baldassare Longhena won the architectural competition. His plans included a massive octagonal basilica
that combined elements of Venetian Byzantine architecture with domes inspired by St. Peter's in Rome. Longhena described the church, which would take
52 years to complete, as 'strange, worthy, and beautiful.'
Three hundred and sixty years later, the Venetian people still hold festivals on November 21 celebrating the plague's end. City workers lay a
footbridge built on pontoon boats across Grand Canal to the steps of the Salute Church, marking the beginning of the Festa della Salute (literally,
'Festival of Health'). Then, as happens just once a year, the massive doors are opened and faithful Catholics and tourists alike take part in the
annual mass.
The church has become the subject of written and artistic creativity. In 1913, for example, John Singer Sargent painted the church as if looking from
the waterfront.
There are many ways to arrive at the Santa Maria della Salute. It's within walking distance of the Accademia art gallery or the Peggy Guggenheim
Collection. Also, you can ride the traghetto (an inexpensive gondola ferry) from the Campo del Traghetto in San Marco and then walk to the church.
The Santa Maria della Salute is a place that belongs on any traveler's itinerary for Venice because it is a marker not just of the religious history of
the city but of the tradition and triumph of the Venetian spirit.
Open daily, you can contact +39 (041) 522-5558 for more information about the church.
This article was written by Karyn Dest .
Find a selection of over 850 Venice hotels at Travel-Italy.com.
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