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This small church is centrally located close to the Rialto Bridge, it has two entrances, one from Campo S. Salvador and another from in the shopping street, Mercerie. The original church was consecrated in 1177, legend has it that Bishop S. Magnus saw a vision of Jesus asking him to build a church on this site, which would one day be the centre of a much larger city than it was at the time. In 1506 Antonio Contarini, the Prior of the adjacent convent, had the church renovated according to the designs of Giorgio Spavento. The work was undertaken by Tullio and Pietro Lombardo and later Jacopo Sansovino. The church reconstruction was completed in stages with the façade finally being completed by Giuseppe Sardi in 1663. The bell tower was a later addition, construction began in the 14th century and continued until the 19th century.

The church holds art work by Jacopo Sanovino, Titian, Francesco Vecellio and Alessandro Vittoria. Some of the famous features of the church include the marble altar with a statue of Christ by Guglielmo dei Grigi; frescoes by Camillo Cappelli (Il Mantovano) funeral monuments by Bernardino Contino; a mosaic by Crisogono Novello and a painting of The Martyrdom of St. Theodore by Bonifacio de Pitati. The church has magnificent flooring and there are three domes with lanterns letting in the natural light.