by dr. Arianna Gambirasi - Art Historian - The Venice Guide
Beginning in the summer of 1630, a wave of the terrible plague assaulted Venice, and until 1631 killed a
third of the population. In the city, 46,000 people died, and in the
venetian lagoon the number was far higher, some 94,000.
Doge Nicolò Contarini made a public vow to erect a church called
the Salute (the church of Health) asking for the Virgin Mary's
intercession to rid the city of the plague.
pic: Wikipedia
Architect Baldassarre Longhena planned the big dom, which is one of the most interesting ones in the city: it's a big, imposant baroque church where you can admire woks of art by Titian and Tintoretto.
It was also decided that the Senate
would visit the church each year.
Votive pontoon bridge- pic: Wikipedia
On November 21 the Feast of the
Presentation of the Virgin, known as the Festa della Madonna della
Salute, the city's official parade from San Marco to the Salute for a service in gratitude for deliverance
from the plague is celebrated.
Only on November the 21st you can cross
the big votive pontoon bridge upon the Gran Canal that connects Santa
Maria del Giglio and la Salute.
Still today, the real Venetians go to
the Madonna della Salute....it's not only a religiuos feast, it's
first of all a venetian feast. It's our venetian soul :-)
Canaletto, La Salute
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