The Centuries of Venice
From the Documents of the State Archives
abstract
Adhering to its well-established tradition of participation in Venetian cultural life, the State Archives of Venice - an active custodian of the documentary memory of the city and the state it created - could not fail to make a contribution to the celebrations that, starting in 2021, aim to commemorate the 1600 years that have passed since 421, the legendary date of the foundation of Venice. This volume constitutes the catalogue of the virtual documentary exhibition prepared for the occasion. The Archive has created a review, structured in twelve thematic chapters, which, although necessarily partial, offers the opportunity to dwell on important aspects of Venetian civilisation through the centuries, providing some new insights or resuming and integrating itineraries already travelled. Indeed, the wealth and quality of the documentation in the Frari Archive makes it possible to illustrate practically every perspective of the political, social and cultural history of Venice. Created in 1815, the Institute preserves a large part of the documents produced by the Venetian Republic. To these are added the archives of the government authorities that succeeded the Serenissima, as well as the notarial archives, those of the religious corporations, the Scuole grandi, the innumerable devotional and trade confraternities, and many of the families and individuals. The documentary perusal and editing of the more than one hundred files, all original, are the result of the work of the Venetian State archivists, who, in their daily occupation, accompany the study and research of the sources with the activities that are indispensable to the daily functioning of a world-famous Institute.