30 September - 24 October 2010
exhibition in the context of the third edition of the Festival of Travel Literature

Antique geographic maps from the XVI century, rare manuscripts and precious atlases published between the Renaissance and the nineteenth century, alternated with contemporary photographs: all this to celebrate the influence that the Republic of Venice has had for centuries on the eastern Mediterranean, from the Adriatic to Egypt as far as Constantinople. This is the theme of the exhibit ''Grande Venezia. Lands and People, as far as Istanbul and Alessandria'', which will be held at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Roma, from September 30th to October 24th 2010, in the context of the third edition of the Festival of Travel Literature, dedicated this year to the theme ''Towards the Orient, the East''. Through the 13 maps exhibited and 11 books and atlases edited between the XVI and the XIX century, visitors can follow itineraries, trade routes, cultural exchanges and discovery expeditions under the influence of Great Venice. Among the most prestigious works, there is the 'Viaggio da Venetia a Costantinopoli' (Journey from Venice to Constantinople), from the XVI century by Giuseppe Rosaccio, part of the complete work preserved by the Italian Geographic ''. Also exhibited is the 'Epitome du theatre du monde' by Abraham Ortelius (XVI century), 'La geografia di ClaudioTolomeo alessandrino (XVI century), the 'Atlante Veneto' by Vincenzo Maria Coronelli (XVII century) and the atlas of Gerardus Mercator (1632)'', as well as the facsimile of the sailing instructions of Albinode Canepa, which date back to the XV century. Antique and modern will divide the scene : there will be about sixty shots, realised by different authors, which show the cities, people and landscapes in which the signs of Venetian influence are present.