Venice plague churches

St. Maria Salute in Venice

Dina's post on votive offerings inspired me to mention the plague churches of Venice, built as votive offerings ....


- Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute ....

In 1630 Venice experienced an unusually devastating outbreak of the plague. 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 (or of Deliverance, Italian: Salute). The church was designed in the then fashionable baroque style by Baldassare Longhena, who studied under the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. Construction began in 1631. Most of the objects of art housed in the church bear references to the Black Death.


- Il Redentore ...

It was designed by the architect Andrea Palladio and built as a votive church to thank God for the deliverance of the city from a major outbreak of the plague. Located on the waterfront of the Canale della Giudecca, it dominates the skyline of the island of Giudecca. It is a member of the Chorus Association of Venetian churches and contains a number of paintings by artists including Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese and Francesco Bassano.


- San Rocco ...

dedicated to Saint Roch in Venice, northern Italy. It was built between 1489 and 1508 by Bartolomeo Bon the Younger, but was substantially altered in 1725. The façade dates from 1765 to 1771, and was designed by Bernardino Maccarucci. The church is one of the Plague-churches built in Venice.


- San Giobbe ...

dedicated to Saint Job. It is located in the Cannaregio, overlooking the campo of the same name, known as Sant'Agiopo in Venetian, on the left bank of the Cannaregio canal at Ponte dei Tre Archi. It is one of the five votive churches built in Venice after an onset of plague.


- San Sebastiano ...

notable particularly for its cycle of paintings by the artist Paolo Veronese. It is a member of the Chorus Association of Venetian churches and besides the numerous works by Veronese, also houses paintings by Tintoretto and Titian. It stands on the Campo di San Sebastiano by the Rio di San Basilio close to the Giudecca Canal. It is one of the five votive churches in Venice, each one built after the passing of a plague through the city.