Did You Know?

Venice, Italy is built on more than 100 small islands and has over 400 bridges connecting them all together. The city has no roads, only canals and footpaths.

Did you know that Venice has over 400 footbridges? These bridges play a crucial role in connecting different parts of the city, spanning the canals and allowing pedestrians to move around. The most famous and iconic bridge in Venice is the Rialto Bridge, which dates back to the late 16th century.

Did you know that Venice is known as the "Floating City" or "City of Water"? This nickname is due to the absence of roads and cars within the historic center of Venice. Instead, transportation is primarily conducted by boats and water taxis, making it a truly distinctive and charming city to explore.

Did you know that Venice experiences an annual phenomenon called "Acqua Alta"? During certain times of the year, particularly in winter, high tides cause flooding in some parts of the city. Wooden walkways, known as "pontoon" bridges, are temporarily set up to allow pedestrians to navigate through the flooded areas.

Did you know that Venice is home to the world's oldest operating casino? The Casino di Venezia, located in the Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi, opened in 1638 and continues to welcome visitors to try their luck at various games of chance in a historic setting.

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Dominating The Venetian Skyline: Santa Maria Della Salute

Like many of the churches and minor basilicas in Venice (and Italy), Santa Maria della Salute, more commonly called, just “Salute”, is a treasure trove of artworks by the likes of Titian and his mid-1500s Renaissance contemporaries; in the case of Salute, these are held and displayed in the sacristy.

The building itself, white and glittering in the sun at the edge of the Dorsoduro area of Venice, with huge, high domes and an abundance of statuary, was designed by Baldassare Longhena, also known for his work on synagogues. He created the space to be filled with light from the high clerestory, lightly tinted windows in the main dome, so it has a definite ethereal ambience. In order to build the structure, more than 100,000 pylons had to be sunk into the mudbanks where it was to be erected.

The church was created as a bargain with the Madonna. In the 1630s, the plague wiped out some 80,000 citizens of Venice, and Roman Catholic elders thought their only means of curtailing the carnage was to strike a deal with her ladyship. Whether it worked or if the plague just wound its way out naturally, there are still people who firmly believe that the black marble dot in the inlaid marble floor beneath the main dome exudes healing energy. That’s Salute’s claim to fame 400-odd years later.