It was then essential to have good doctors at disposal, although the appearance of the doctor of the plague could often be as scary as the plague itself… It was also important to pray two important saints, such as St. Sebastian and St, Roch, who could free the city from terrible unknown diseases. It is not a case, then, that St. Sebastian’s and St. Roch’s churches were very richly decorated throughout the centuries, in particular during the 16th, by relevant artists like Veronese and Tintoretto, and such wonderful churches surely deserve a visit.
Yet, the most outstanding structures built to thank the Redeemer and the Holy Mary for the end of terrible epidemics are the Redentore church (projected by Palladio) and the Santa Maria della Salute church (projected by Longhena). These two churches are the scenery, still today, for two of the most popular feasts that have been held in Venice yearly for centuries, the Redentore and the Salute: these feasts are the symbols of the Venetian devotion.
Time: minimum 3 hours.
The fare does not include entrance fees and the costs for transportation. When visiting religious buildings, an appropriate dress code has to be observed (no bare shoulders, no miniskirts, no shorts). The fare for groups has to be agreed with the guide.
