In a city full of classic, instantly recognisable sights, it is the silhouette of what the locals lovingly refer to as La Salute that finds its way into the background of perhaps the most photographs and canvasses. Built in the 17th century to celebrate the ending of the plague, subtlety was not something on the artist’s agenda. The huge octagonal building was constructed on a platform of more than one million wooden piles, taking more than 50 years to complete. In contrast to the bright gold of the Basilica di San Marco, the interior here is much more austere, but it is home to works of art by luminaries such as Tintoretto and Titian, as well as many exquisite stone sculptures.
