Venice - Event

The Festival of La Salute is one of Venice's most important religious festivals. Like the Feast of the Redeemer in July, it commemorates the end of a plague - this one in 1630. Out of gratitude for their delivery from the epidemic, the Senate decided to build a church. This became the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute, one of the most famous in Venice.

This is the church at the eastern tip of Dorsoduro, with the celebrated dome visible from the waterfront at Piazza San Marco. As well as being an incredible building in its own right, Santa Maria della Salute also contains numerous Titians, including Cain and Abel on the ceiling, and Tintoretto's Wedding at Cana.

The festival dates from 1687, when the reigning Doge swore an oath of gratitude to the Virgin. Since then, on this date, a procession has travelled from Piazza San Marco to the church using a temporary wooden bridge specially constructed over the Grand Canal from Santa Maria del Griglio. Thousands of people still go to the church every year to light a candle; traditionally, gondoliers can also bring their oars to be blessed. Piety isn't the only reason for going, however - the Campo della Salute is also taken over by stalls selling the famous frittelle (pastries) and toys, as well as candles and other religious paraphernalia.