Exhibition and lecture offer a Medieval View of Cyprus

An exhibition coming up at the Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR) in Nicosia explores 15th century Cyprus through the eyes of a traveller. Titled The Grünenberg Experience: A Medieval view of Cyprus, the exhibition looks at the German 15^th century traveller Konrad Grünenberg’s visit to Cyprus in 1486.

In collaboration with the Baden State Library in Karlsruhe, and with the sponsorship of the German Embassy and support from the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt, CVAR will host some of the rarest and earliest illustrations of Cyprus contained in the two manuscript versions of Grünenberg’s journals: the codex kept in the Baden State Library, most probably the author’s own copy of his journal, and the Gotha Research Center codex of the University of Erfurt, which is believed to be a copy that was presented by the author to a dignitary.

Running from November 4 to 17, a special lecture in English will take place on November 8 as part of the exhibition with the manuscript curator of the Baden State Library Dr Annika Stello talking about Travel and Travellers in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 15th century. Taking place at the Melina Merkouri Municipal Hall, the lecture will discuss Grünenberg’s voyages, this citizen of Constance, who made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1486. His journey took him from Venice along the eastern Adriatic coast, around Greece and via Crete, Rhodes and Cyprus, to Palestine – as was customary in his time.

“Thus,” explain the lecture organisers, “he was part of the very busy sea traffic between Western Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, where the Italian Maritime Republics of Genoa and Venice played a major role throughout the later Middle Ages.” The lecture traces the general sea voyage conditions of the time, the main routes from Western Europe to the Middle East, and the surrounding political and social conditions of the late 15th century, a time when the Eastern Mediterranean was perhaps even more than today a space for encounter and exchange between different cultures. After the lecture, a reception will be held at CVAR and visitors can view the exhibition.

The Grünenberg Experience: A Medieval view of Cyprus

Exhibition with some of the rarest and earliest illustrations of Cyprus contained in the two manuscript versions of Konrad Grünenberg’s journals. November 4-17. CVAR, Nicosia. Lecture with Dr Annika Stello talking about Travel and Travellers in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 15th century. November 8. Melina Merkouri Municipal Hall, Nicosia. 7pm. Free. Tel: 22-300999