Venetians' desire to create a suitable monument…

Venetians' desire to create a suitable monument at a place that allows for easy processional access from Piazza San Marco leads senators to select the present site from among eight potential locations.

The location is chosen partially due to its relationship to San Giorgio, San Marco and Il Redentore, with which it forms an arc.

Santa Maria della Salute, emblematic of the city's piety, is to stand adjacent to the rusticated single story customs house or Dogana da Mar, the emblem of its maritime commerce, and near the civic center of the city.

A dispute with the patriarch, owner of the church and seminary at the site, has been resolved, and razing of some of the buildings begins by 1631.

A competition is held to design the building.

Of the eleven submissions (including designs by Alessandro Varotari, Matteo Ignoli, and Berteo Belli), only two are chosen for the final round.