Baroque splendour Venice
Santa Maria della Salute in Venice is part of the parish of the Gesuati and I learned that it is the most recent of the so-called plague churches.
In 1630, Venice experienced a devastating outbreak of the plague and as a votive offering for the city's deliverance from the pestilence, the Republic of Venice vowed to build and dedicate a church to Our Lady of Health.
The church was designed in the Baroque style by Baldassare Longhena. Construction began in 1631. Most of the objects of art housed in the church bear references to the Black Death.
The Salute is a majestic, octagonal building with two domes and a pair of bell-towers at the back. At the apex of the pediment stands a statue of the Virgin Mary who presides over the church which was erected in her honour. The façade is decorated with figures of Saint George, Saint Theodore, the Evangelists, the Prophets and Judith with the head of Holofernes.
Here we see the front entrance and I took the shot looking upward - I wanted to imagine looking up as the people of Venice had done all those centuries ago, as they entered these mighty doors during their time of suffering and struggle and the inspiration they sought from entering such a building of faith and hope.
© All rights reserved.
Baroque splendour Venice
Santa Maria della Salute in Venice is part of the parish of the Gesuati and I learned that it is the most recent of the so-called plague churches.
In 1630, Venice experienced a devastating outbreak of the plague and as a votive offering for the city's deliverance from the pestilence, the Republic of Venice vowed to build and dedicate a church to Our Lady of Health.
The church was designed in the Baroque style by Baldassare Longhena. Construction began in 1631. Most of the objects of art housed in the church bear references to the Black Death.
The Salute is a majestic, octagonal building with two domes and a pair of bell-towers at the back. At the apex of the pediment stands a statue of the Virgin Mary who presides over the church which was erected in her honour. The façade is decorated with figures of Saint George, Saint Theodore, the Evangelists, the Prophets and Judith with the head of Holofernes.
Here we see the front entrance and I took the shot looking upward - I wanted to imagine looking up as the people of Venice had done all those centuries ago, as they entered these mighty doors during their time of suffering and struggle and the inspiration they sought from entering such a building of faith and hope.
© All rights reserved.