San Salvatore

Open: 9-12/16-18.15

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The 16th century church of San Salvatore (San Salvador) was built for the monastic order of the Augustinian Regular Canons. 

The interior (1505-34) was designed, in the Renaissance style, by Giorgio Spavento (c.1440-1509). The plan was carried on after his death by Tullio Lombardo and brought to completion by Jacopo Sansovino. 

The geometric divisions of the space and the combination of gray stone and white plaster are redolent of 15th century Tuscan architecture. However the design is actually based on a traditional type of Veneto-Byzantine church. Three domed Greek crosses are joined together to form a long nave and side aisles. The Baroque façade was added, in 1663, by Giuseppe Sardi.

San Salvador contains Sansovino's monument to Doge Francesco Venier (1556-61) and Bernadino Contino's monument to Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus (1580-84). The church is also home to two late works by Titian, The Annunciation (1559-66) and The Transfiguration (c.1560).

The remains of San Teodoro (St Theodore), Venice's first patron saint, lie in the chapel to the right of the apse. The Scuola Grande di San Teodoro stands diagonally opposite the church. ​

San Salvador