Watercolour of a Venice landmark.
 
Santa Maria della Salute is a Baroque Roman Catholic church and minor basilica standing prominently at the tip of Punta della Dogana in the Dorsoduro district of Venice, where the Grand Canal meets the Bacino di San Marco. is commonly called “La Salute” and is one of Venice’s most recognisable landmarks, thanks to its massive dome visible from Piazza San Marco and along the Grand Canal.
 
The church was built as a votive offering to the Virgin Mary after a devastating plague of 1630–1631 that killed a large share of Venice’s population; its name means “Saint Mary of Health.” Architect Baldassare Longhena, a key figure of Venetian Baroque, won the design competition; the building was largely completed between 1631 and the 1680s
 
The basilica stands on a platform supported by around one million wooden piles and uses Istrian stone and marmorino (brick coated with marble dust), a typical Venetian solution to the lagoon’s unstable ground, as it is lighter and more flexible.
 
Inside as well as sculptures are also many paintings including several works by Titian making the church an art gallery as well.
 
Interesting fact....
Every 21 November Venice celebrates the Festa della Madonna della Salute, when a temporary bridge is built across the Grand Canal so crowds can walk to the basilica in pilgrimage.