Friday, May 2, 2014

Orecchioni

Venice

Detail of Santa Maria della Salute (Saint Mary of Health)
(Seen from the Ponte dell'Accademia)
Venice, September 2013

“An extravagant display, made up of eight Palladian façades, with the grandest facing onto the Grand Canal. Huge buttresses with orecchioni (big ears) support the drum of the dome and lots of statues of saints and angels. The lantern on top of the dome supports a statue of the Virgin blessing the city. Behind there's the smaller dome over the sanctuary and two delicate campanili.” (Salute, The Churches of Venice)

See also: Santa Maria della Salute