Why did Venice build the Church of the Redeemer after the plague of 1575–77?

The Venetian senate commissioned the Church of the Redeemer (Il Redentore) as a votive offering, vowing to build a new church to abate the devastating plague that struck the city between 1575 and 1577. This epidemic was catastrophic, resulting in the deaths of approximately 30 percent of the Venetian population.1

Designed by the architect Andrea Palladio, the church served as a site for ceremonial and religious functions, including an annual visit by the doge and senate to commemorate the city's liberation from the disease. This tradition was marked by a procession across a bridge of boats aligned with the church's facade, a practice that continues to be observed.1