San Salvador

Founded according to legend in the 7th century, even before Venice was located here, San Salvador marks the spot where a vision of Jesus appeared in a cloud of red dust. The current church was rebuilt beginning in 1508; it has a remarkable Renaissance interior by Giorgio Spavento and was completed by Tullio Lombardo and Sansovino.

Its unique design imaginatively fuses a long, two-aisle basilican nave with a central Greek cross plan, by stringing together three Greek crosses, three domes and three transepts, and tying them together at the corners with pilasters and mini-cupolas. The clean lines and lack of decorative encrustations let the eye enjoy the interplay of space and light.

Sansovino also contributed the Tomb of Doge Francesco Venier (d. 1556), sculpting the fine figures of Hope and Charity at the age of 80. But Venice was known as a city of old men; the Maggior Consiglio even devised a special committee for patricians over 80 to keep them occupied with affairs of state until they dropped dead. At the age of 89, Titian painted the excellent Annunciation by the next altar, an unusual work that he signed with double emphasis Titianus Fecit. Fecit. (because, it is said, his patrons refused to believe that he had really painted it).