Its domes forming an iconic image of Venice, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (in English the Basilica of St. Mary of Health), stands on a narrow finger of land between the Grand Canal and the Bacino di San Marco (St. Mark's Basin). In 1630, Venice was hit particularly hard by an outbreak of the plague. More than a third of the population was wiped out. As a votive offering, the Republic of Venice voted to construct a church dedicated to Our Lady of Health. Construction began in 1631, the church was consecrated in 1681 and was completed in 1687. Most of the objects of art housed in the church bear a reference to the Black Death. In the lower foreground stands the top of the Emporio dei Sali where the all-important commodity of salt was traded.