On the 300th anniversary of Salomea Rusetskaya, the National Library of Belarus has prepared a virtual project "The Odyssey of Salomea Rusetskaya from Istanbul to St. Petersburg." The anniversary of our compatriot is included to the UNESCO’s 2018 Calendar of Events.
Salomea Regina Rusetskaya (married Pilshtynova) was the first female doctor in the Commonwealth of the Both Nations, a tireless traveler and author of memoirs. She worked at the Russian and Austrian imperial courts as well as at the harem of the Turkish sultan.
The project is a virtual tour of the cities and countries where Salomea Rusetskaya traveled: Istanbul, Vienna, Nesvizh, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Riga etc. You will learn about the life and tradition of the Ottoman Empire and the Russian court intrigue during the reign of Empress Anna Ivanovna. You will be able to plunge into the adventure of our heroine, feeling the breath of the epoch.
The project is based on the memoirs of Salomea Rusetskaya. This is a diary with a colorful name "Echo na świat podane procederu podróży i życia mego awantur…” The original is kept in the Princes Czartoryski Museum in Krakow. In Belarus, the book was translated by Mikola Haustovich and is known as "The Adventures of My Life."
Her memoirs is a source on history and geography, where the author gave her own memories and reflections on those events, portraying interesting people who met her during the travels to the West and the East. The author pays attention to the life and customs of different nations and presents the methods of treatment of various diseases. The female doctor relies heavily on the achievements of traditional medicine, popularizing hygiene and a healthy lifestyle.
The project includes a section about the embodiment of Salomea in the cultural space of Belarus: theater, literature and visual arts.
You are welcome to get acquainted with the project!
