# Santa Maria della Salute, Venice > Santa Maria della Salute is the white Baroque basilica with a great dome at the mouth of the Grand Canal, one of Venice's icons, built in the 17th century as the republic's vow to Our Lady of Health. Entry is free; the Titian and Tintoretto paintings in the sacristy need a small ticket. Allow 30 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/santa-maria-della-salute - City: [Venice](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice), Italy - YesGo score: 51/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; small fee for the sacristy - Opening hours: Mornings and afternoons, closed midday - Highlights: Dome, octagonal hall, Titian, Tintoretto - Festival: 21 November — a pontoon bridge over the Grand Canal - Time needed: 30 minutes - Vaporetto: Salute (line 1), at the steps - Coordinates: 45.43057, 12.33473 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1631–1687** — built to designs by Baldassare Longhena (source: English Wikipedia) - **8 sides** — the central hall is octagonal (source: English Wikipedia) - **"Salute"** — means "health" — dedicated to Our Lady of Health (source: English Wikipedia) - **21 November** — the Festa della Salute with a bridge of boats (source: English Wikipedia) - **Tintoretto** — his Marriage at Cana hangs in the sacristy (source: English Wikipedia) ## A short history In **1630** a severe epidemic swept Venice, and the government vowed to build a church to **Our Lady of Health** (Madonna della Salute) if the city were spared. The young architect **Baldassare Longhena** won the competition, and in **1631** building began on the headland at the mouth of the Grand Canal, facing San Marco. It took more than fifty years, until **1687**; legend says around a million wooden piles were driven into the marshy ground. Longhena gave his life to it and created a masterpiece of Venetian Baroque — white, seeming to float above the water, visible from almost anywhere on the lagoon. ## Architecture The church is built on an **octagonal** plan: a central hall ringed by six chapels beneath a great **dome** on a drum, buttressed outside by huge stone **volutes** curled like snail shells — the building's signature. Inside it's light and sober in white and grey stone, with a marble floor of concentric circles and a high altar holding a Byzantine icon of the Virgin brought from Crete. The altar sculpture shows the Virgin driving sickness away from Venice. ## Titian and Tintoretto The **sacristy** holds paintings by **Titian**, including his early altarpiece of St Mark enthroned and ceiling canvases, and **Tintoretto**'s large **Marriage at Cana**, its long table receding into the picture. The small sacristy ticket is an inexpensive way to see great Venetian art without a queue. ## What to see - **The dome and volutes** — best seen from the water. - **Octagonal hall** — a marble floor of circles. - **High altar** — the Cretan icon of the Virgin. - **Sacristy** — Titian and Tintoretto's Marriage at Cana. - **Steps to the water** — views of San Marco and the Grand Canal. - **Punta della Dogana** — the headland behind, facing the lagoon. ## Punta della Dogana Behind the basilica, at the very tip of Dorsoduro, stands the old sea customs house, the **Punta della Dogana**, topped by two Atlases holding a golden ball with a figure of Fortune that turns like a weathervane. It now houses a contemporary art museum, and the point itself is one of Venice's best places to sit by the water, facing San Marco, San Giorgio and the Giudecca. > **The Festa della Salute, 21 November** Every 21 November Venetians walk to the basilica to give thanks to Our Lady of Health. A temporary pontoon bridge spans the Grand Canal from the San Marco side, stalls sell candles and sweets, and families eat castradina, a stew of mutton and cabbage — one of the city's warmest festivals. ## How to get there 1. Vaporetto 1 to **Salute**, right at the basilica steps. 2. From [Piazza San Marco](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/piazza-san-marco), by traghetto across the Grand Canal or 15 minutes on foot via the Accademia Bridge. 3. From the [Gallerie dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/gallerie-accademia), 7 minutes' walk. 4. Next door: the [Peggy Guggenheim Collection](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/peggy-guggenheim), 5 minutes. ## Is the Salute worth it? Yes — one of Venice's loveliest churches, free to enter and far less crowded than St Mark's. Combine it with the Accademia and the Guggenheim, all in Dorsoduro. The finest views of it are from the water on line 1 and from the Accademia Bridge at sunset. Cover shoulders and knees, and note the midday closure. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check hours — closed at midday - [ ] Cover shoulders and knees - [ ] Buy a sacristy ticket for Titian - [ ] Walk out to the Punta della Dogana - [ ] See the dome from the Accademia Bridge ## Venice's churches: compare and choose Churches and basilicas in Venice rated by YesGo. - [St Mark's Basilica](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/st-marks-basilica) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Paid - [Santa Maria della Salute](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/santa-maria-della-salute) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [San Giorgio Maggiore](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/san-giorgio-maggiore) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free; tower paid - [Giudecca](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/giudecca) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Scuola Grande di San Rocco](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/scuola-san-rocco) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Torcello](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/torcello) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free; cathedral paid ## Dorsoduro in half a day The Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Salute at the mouth of the Grand Canal. 1. [Gallerie dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/gallerie-accademia) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid 2. [Peggy Guggenheim Collection](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/peggy-guggenheim) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Paid 3. [Santa Maria della Salute](https://yesgo.io/italy/venice/santa-maria-della-salute) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free ## Don't mix it up The Salute isn't San Giorgio Maggiore: the Salute is the white dome at the mouth of the Grand Canal, San Giorgio the Palladian church with a bell tower on the island opposite San Marco. ## Tips - Free entry. - Sacristy for Titian. - Best seen from the water. - 21 November — the bridge of boats. ## Questions ### Is Santa Maria della Salute free? Yes, the basilica is free; the sacristy with Titian and Tintoretto has a small fee. ### Who built the Salute? Baldassare Longhena, between 1631 and 1687. ### What does "Salute" mean? "Health" — the church is dedicated to Our Lady of Health. ### How do I get to the Salute? Vaporetto 1 to the Salute stop, or on foot via the Accademia Bridge. ### What is the Festa della Salute? On 21 November a pontoon bridge crosses the Grand Canal and Venetians walk to the basilica. ## How we checked History, architecture and paintings from English Wikipedia. Hours and the sacristy fee weren't confirmed — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia, Santa Maria della Salute --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.