Campo Santa Maria Della Salute

The Basilica in Campo Santa Maria Della Salute is a remarkable example of Venetian baroque architecture. Saint Mary of Health is a symbol of the city's deliverance from the plague that invaded Venice in 1630. Also in the Campo on the western side is La chiesa di San Gregorio, whose Gothic architecture provides drastic contrast. The new[er] and the old, although separated by a narrow canal are connected by bridge, allowing access to two places of worship built 8 centuries apart.

Now, I continue more in depth with an architectural analysis identifies specific elements found in the Campo.

aedicule: the main entrance to the Basilica, with Corinthian capitals, topped by an entablature (architrave, frieze, cornice) and a pediment, see below

blind arcade: see below on left and right sides of main entrance

dentilled molding: see row of square blocks decorating the underside of the cornic below

intrados: see inner ridge of arch below

spandrel: see figures occupying space above arch below

balustrade: spotted on balcony just below dome on Basilica, see below

capital: see numerous intricate heads of pillars below

corbel: see block supporting the beam below on bottom right

cupola: see dome below

lantern: on top of dome below

thermal window: see semicircular window below

tondo: see three circular decorative panels below

biforate window: on back side of La chiesa di San Gregoria, see below

oculus: see circular window below

ogee arch: on front side of La chiesa di San Gregoria, see below

quatrefoil: see four-lobed leaves below

Not pictured:

baptistry: inside Basilica

rio: Grand Canal north of Campo Santa Maria Della Salute

traghetto: floating in Grand Canal

This Campo is less intimate than others in the city because it's fourth wall has been knocked down, leaving it naked to eyes of those cruising through the entrance of the Grand Canal in vaporettos, traghettos, and water taxis. While the more commonly encountered "enclosed" Campos closer to the residential areas with shops, bars, and cafes surrounding the action tend to be more lively and exude a sense of community, Campo della Salute felt secluded, quiet, peaceful, and for the most part devoid of Venetians. The few people we did run across looked to be tourists snapping photos in front of the grand, baroque cathedral. However, it nonetheless proved to be quite a romantic hangout for some.

A vaporetto stop provides easy access to Campo della Salute. The massive architectural structures defining this Campo, including the Gothic church and the Baroque cathedral with its giant door and steps at the entrance, are paralleled by the massive body of water connected to the mouth of the Grand Canal. Yi-Fu Tuan states that architecture exerts a direct impact on the senses and feeling. Here, as we observe in the shadow of the mass, the body responds with a feeling of insignificance. Tuan also states cathedrals as voluminous structures with intricate, revealing details that tell stories are symbols of paradise. “The beauty of space and light that [one] can perceive [in the cathedral] enables him to apprehend effortlessly another and far greater glory.” Entering the Campo from the dark tunnel (shown below) strikes the viewer immediately with a clear view of the glorious cathedral, with its intricacies primarily on the side of canal. The focus of the details on the canal side signifies that the proper way to arrive to service was by boat.

The 5 star luxury hotel (shown below) just through the tunnel symbolizes Venice’s reliance on capitalism and that the city was built off the backs of others.

Having to learn new architectural terms and locate them in a deserted Campo made me realize how many details there are in the city, waiting to be identified. A space with architecture as fine as that on display in Campo della Salute would be flooded with tourists in any other city. The fact that this place was empty is a testament to how many other attractive sites there are in Venice to explore.

Source:

Tuan, Yi-Fu. "Architectural Space and Awareness." Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 1977. 100-17. Print.