Russian Travelers 17th Centuries about the Ceremony of Marriage of the Adriatic

The article considers the ceremonial of the Doge’s betrothal to the Adriatic sea through the prism of its perception by Russian travelers of the end of the 17th century. In the Republic of Venice there were a considerable number of ceremonies, which were held annually on the occasion of victories and various festivals. Among them, a special place was occupied by the rite of betrothal of the Doge to the sea (with the Adriatic) (Marriage of the Adriatic). Its origins rite of passage is leading with deep absent. Almost all Russian travelers who visited Venice at the end of the 17th century, paid attention to this ceremony. In their travel notes stolnik P. A. Tolstoy and an unknown author write about the date of the ceremony, its history, the details of the protocol of its ceremonial, the value for the Venetian state. The splendor and colorfulness of its holding attracted the special attention of Russian travelers. In their opinion, the central place in this ceremony was occupied by the figure of the venetian doge. In addition, they emphasized its state character. But the venetian vessels that took part in the ceremony, and above all, the ceremonial galley of the venetian doge Bucintoro, attracted the special attention of russian travelers. The interest of the stolnik P. A. Tolstoy and unknown author called private ships of the venetians, who accompanied the doge of Venice in the maritime procession. The author of the article comes to the conclusion that the rite of betrothal of the venetian doge to the Adriatic caused some interest among russian travelers of the 17th century, but to a greater extent their admiration was associated with architectural masterpieces, religious shrines, music, gardens and fountains. Perhaps this was due to the fact that in the Moscow state there were no similar ceremonies. In any case, the russian travelers of the 17th century, namely stolnik P. A. Tolstoy and an unknown author in their travel notes recorded this ritual, leaving the memory of this to posterity.