Venice went through some hard times recently, after a major flood hit the city last week and the acqua alta (high water) reached 1.87 metres, the highest level since 1966.
The adverse events caused structural damages on many landmark buildings of the Unesco world heritage site and different initiatives were launched to donate money towards restoration projects.
This is certainly not the first time the city experienced very difficult times: in the summer of 1630, Venice was hit by the plague after a group of ambassadors arrived from Mantua, spreading the contagion.
Thousands of people died and the city organised a procession to pray the Virgin Mary that lasted three days and nights. In October 1630 the Doge vowed that a new church would have been built if the plague stopped. The outbreak started slowing down soon afterwards and the construction of Santa Maria della Salute (Saint Mary of Health), commonly known simply as La Salute, started in 1631 (it was completed in 1687).
Designed in a rich Baroque style by Baldassare Longhena, the church was located at Punta della Dogana. The crown-like (in homage to the Virgin Mary) octagonal Istrian stone and marmorino structure is influenced by Palladian classicism and features a striking dome and a façade richly decorated with statues.
The interior includes altars decorated with scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and a Baroque high altar with a Byzantine Madonna and Child of the 12th or 13th century, known as "Mesopanditissa" (or "mediator", "negotiator").
Today, on November 21 (the Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin), there is a major event in the city: a temporary bridge over the Grand Canal from the San Marco district to the Salute church is built and people can cross the canal in remembrance of the deliverance from the plague and pay their respects to the Virgin Mary.
Non-believers shouldn't miss the opportunity to visit the place and see the rich architectures and paintings that inspired many artists, including Canaletto, J. M. W. Turner and John Singer Sargent.
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