Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy Sep 27, 2024

Steeped in history, the Santa Maria della Salute church in Venice is a prime example of Baroque architecture. Constructed between 1631 and 1687, the church was a votive offering for the city"s deliverance from a devastating plague in 1630. Built at the entrance to the Grand Canal, its dome dominates the Venice skyline, as seen in today"s image. Italian architect Baldassare Longhena envisioned this structure at the age of 26, and it became his lifelong project, which was completed after his death. The exterior of the church, with its volutes—spiral, scroll-like ornaments—and statues contrasts with the spacious octagonal interior adorned with works by Renaissance artists like Titian and Tintoretto. Each November, Venice commemorates the church"s significance during the Festa della Madonna della Salute, a cultural celebration that includes festive processions and offering of candles in gratitude for deliverance from the plague.

© Bachir Moukarzel/Amazing Aerial Agency

palette

Today in History

Sep 27, 2023French River, Ontario, Canada
Sep 27, 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
Sep 27, 2025Tank Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 8, 2024Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou
May 20, 2024Bee tending a honeycomb
Nov 5, 2023Playa del Silencio, Spain
Jul 5, 2024Daintree Rainforest and Noah Beach, Queensland, Australia
Apr 20, 2026Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah, United States
Mar 28, 2026African buffalo, Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
May 16, 2024Ria de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
Sep 30, 2023Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, USA
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, United States
Dec 12, 2024Poinsettia flower
Aug 15, 2025Spotted eagle rays
Jan 10, 2026The Matterhorn reflected in Lake Stellisee at sunrise, Zermatt, Switzerland
Apr 10, 2025Red fox cubs near their den
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
May 6, 2026Thunderstorm above the plains, Bulgaria
Apr 15, 2024Château de Chambord, France
Sep 17, 2024Kerala, India
Aug 6, 2025Ring-tailed lemur
Jan 11, 2024Eurasian lynx
Nov 21, 2023Grey seal pup
Oct 19, 2024Temple of Hathor, Dendera Temple Complex, Qena, Egypt
Feb 8, 2025Medieval towers in Mestia, Upper Svaneti, Georgia
May 17, 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
Feb 22, 2026Mam Tor, Derbyshire, England
Apr 12, 2024Arches National Park, Utah, USA
Mar 21, 2024Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Jun 3, 2025Bicycles on a bridge in Utrecht, Netherlands
Aug 22, 2025Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington, United States
May 7, 2025Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Oct 10, 2023Mount Sopris, Colorado, USA