Santa Maria Della Salute Venice.

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Santa Maria Della Salute ( St Maria of Health) is part of the Venetian skyline right at the end of the Grand Canal nearly opposite St Marks Square. It is on the island just opposite San Marco in the Dorsoduro area. In 1630 there was an outbreak of plague when 46,000 people died. Prayers were said and a promise to build a magnificent church to Santa Maria would be built in thanks if the rest of the population were saved from an untimely death. They would also promise to visit the church on the festival of health which is held every year on the 21st of November. A special pontoon bridge is put up each year and a procession from St Marks Basilica meanders its way through the piazza San Marco to the pontoon bridge where the procession would continue to the church where thanksgiving services are held. From the outside the church appears to be made of white marble although it is covered stone in marble dust. It is built on 100,000 wooden pylons which were put into the foundations to support the massive construction. There is a huge and vast dome with a further two domes behind it. The inside of the great church is very large with chapels all the way around the perimeter of the building. Walking around the church you can feel the floor to be quite uneven in places. It is not the most beautiful of churches in Venice but it is well worth a visit as there are paintings by Tintoretto and Titian. Paintings by Canaletto include this massive church in his works. The Queen owns some super Canaletto's. Historians and scientists have compared his paintings with current day buildings in Venice and have concluded that Venice is indeed sinking. I have visited the church a couple of times although I have not been there in November for the festival on the 21st. I have taken a small Traghetto that used to cost 1 Euro but is currently 2 Euro for tourists but only 70 cents for locals. A traghetto is the working mans gondola. Many locals will ride across the Grand canal standing up it is only tourists who will sit down as they go across the canal. They go back and forth all day long from 07:00 to 20:00 It is well worth a visit to this church.