Franciscan friar Noe Bianco made his pilgrimage to the Holy Land around 1527 and died in Peruggia in 1568. He followed the usual pilgrim route without unforessen events that would cause him to modify his itinerary. Thus, he sailed out from Venice and reached Palestine after stopping over at the Venetian cities on the Adriatic, the Ionian islands and the islands of the southern Aegean. Bianco toured Jerusalem and the nearby holy sites and returned to Venice by way of Cyprus, Crete and Corfu in November 1527.

His chronicle was published in 1566 and republished many times (1570, 1585, 1638, 1738). In 1600, a very well-known although anonymous pilgrim account in Italian began to circulate as authored by Bianco, probably an editorial strategy to ensure success with the reading public. To date, scholarship has not reached a conclusion as to the authorship of the work’s various editions, and great confusion continues to dominate on this question. Probably a crucial difference as to content is that probably the extracts signed by Bianco are marked by a more personal tone.

The first part of the chronicle contains a list of necessary provisions for the journey to the Holy Land, and advice on the preparation of the journey. The 1600 edition is illustrated with wood engravings that depict mainly ports, locations and pilgrim sites in the Holy Land, something original for pilgrim chronicles of the time.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou

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  Title page. Entombment of Christ.

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  Procession on the Day of Corpus Christi, in which Venetian senators bid the pigrims to the Holy Land farewell.

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  View of Venice.

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  View of Poreč in Croatia.

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  View of Pula in Croatia.

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  View of Zadar in Croatia.

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  Men from Corfu.

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  View of Corfu.

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  View of Methoni.

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  Priest and other men from Crete.

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  View of Heraklion.

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  View of the city of Rhodes.

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  The Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller and other knights of the order in Rhodes.

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  The Cenacle on Mount Zion, site of the Last Supper and the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.

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  View of Yaffa.

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  View of Ramla.

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  Inn on the route from Ramla to Jerusalem, near the remains of the fortress of the Maccabees.

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  View of Mount Sion, site of a convent of Minor Friars.

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  View of Jerusalem with the Holy Sepulchre and other major locations of the city.

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  View of Jerusalem with the Holy Sepulchre and other major locations of the city.

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  Muslims of Jerusalem.

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  View of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with the stone which commemorates the spot of the third fall of Christ on the route to Golgotha.

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  The Aedicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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  Interior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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  Calvary chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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  Chapel of the tombs of Godefroy de Bouillon and Baldwin I of Jerusalem.

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  The tomb of Adam underneath Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Chapel of Adam). According to Jewish and Christian tradition, Shem and Melchizedek guided by angels travelled to the spot whre Noah's Ark was, took Adam's body and, guided by angels, buried it at the site of Calvary in Jerusalem.

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  Columns from the Chapel of Saint Helen in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. According to tradition, the columns weep the death of Christ.

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  Chapel of the Resurrection where the Holy Fire miracle takes place.

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  Belltower of church in Jerusalem.

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  Church of Mary Magdalene, seat of Jerusalem Patriarchate at the time. Church of Saint John the Baptist, first hospital of the Crusaders, after which the order of the Knights Hospitaller was named.

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  Tower of David in Jerusalem.

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  Monastery of the Saviour (San Salvatore) of the order of the Franciscans in Jerusalem in the Christian quarter of Jerusalem.

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  Church on Golgotha Hill.

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  Cenacle, Crusader church on Mount Zion which commemorates the spot where the Holy Supper took place and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles.

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  Chapel on Mount Zion where Christ appeared to the Apostles on Pentecost day. Chapel on the site of the Holy Supper.

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  Kings Solomon's House in Jerusalem.

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  Cave where the Apostles and Virgin Mary hid after Christ was resurrected, and composed the Credo of the Church.

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  Acheldamah or Potter’s field in Jerusalem.

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  Pool of Siloam.

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  The house where Judas Iscariot stayed in Jerusalem. The spot where Judas hanged himself.

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  The fountain in which Virgin Mary washed infant Jesus' baby clothes.

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  The site where James the Less was buried. Tomb of Absalom.

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  The site where James the Less was buried.

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  Chapel of Ascension, built on the spot where Christ was ascended to heaven.

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  Tomb of Saint Mary of Egypt.

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  The site where Jesus was arrested by the Romans. Kidron Brook in Jerusalem.

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  Chapel of the Dormition of the Virgin in Jerusalem.

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  Chapel on the site where the Apostles shrouded Virgin Mary.

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  Garden of Gethsemane.

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  Golden Gate in Jerusalem.

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  Imaginary depiction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.

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  Church of Saint Anne in Jerusalem, built on the site of the house of Joachim and Anne, where Virgin Mary was born.

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  Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem.

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  View of the house of Herod Agrippa in Jerusalem.

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  Mar Elias monastery, on the hill where Prophet Elijah rested when he was persecuted by Jezebel. The hill where Prophet Elijah rested when he was persecuted by Jezabel.

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  The Tomb of Rachel on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

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  View of the Church of the Nativity in Jerusalem.

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  The site where Christ was born. The cave of the tombs of the infants slaughtered by King Herod. Monastery of Saint Nicholas in Bethlehem.

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  Remains of the monastery of the Shepherds, the site where the Angel appeared before the shepherds and announced the birth of Jesus Christ, at Beit Sahur (Village of the Shepherds) on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Site of the house of Saint John the Baptist at Ein Karem on the outskirts of Jerusalem; according to another tradition, it is also the site where Mary visited Elizabeth (today, Church of the Visitation at Ein Karem).

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  Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, on the site at which Saint John was born, at Ein Karem on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The house where Elizabeth hid Saint John the Baptist during the Massacre of the Innocents.

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  Monastery of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem; according to tradition, it is built around the tree the Holy Cross was made from.

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  Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, site of the tombs of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah according to Jewish and Muslim tradition.

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  Cariach, Hebron. According to a Jewish and Christian tradition followed by the author, the place where God made Adam and Cain killed Abel.

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  Remains of a church on the route from Jerusalem to Samaria, site where Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the well.

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  View of Samaria-Sebaste in Palestine. Church built on the site of Saint John's beheading in Samaria-Sebaste according to a certain tradition.

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  Church built on the site where Virgin Mary was frightened upon seeing the inhabitants of Nazareth pursuing Jesus. According to the tradition transmitted by the author, the rock miraculously split in two, so that the Virgin could hide inside. According to the author the church was used by Nubian Christians.

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  View of Nazareth. In the foreground, the cave where the house of Virgin Mary was, and where the Annunciation to the Virgin took place (today, catholic Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth). According to the tradition related by the author, Virgin Mary became frightened upon seeing Archangel Gabriel before her and hid behind the column depicted in the illustration.

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  Fountain of archangel Gabriel in Nazareth, today site of the Orthodox hurch of the Annunciation in Nazareth. According to a certain tradition,  Virgin Mary had gone to the well for water when archangel Gabriel appeared before her. Upon seeing Gabriel, the Virgin let the pail she was carrying fall and ran frightened back to her house. According to the author, at the time of his pilgrimage the church was used by Indian Christians (Alaphis), it is however possible that he is referring to Nestorian Christians.

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  Fortress in the city of Kafr-Kanna in Galilee, usually identified with biblical Cana. The building is considered to be the place of the biblical wedding in Cana. In the centre, the well from which Jesus Christ drew water from, to subsequently transform it into wine.

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  View of settlement, possibly Capernaum in Galilee. Site where Jesus Christ fed the multitude.

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  View of Tiberias in Galilee, which, according to a certain tradition, Jesus Christ visited often as a child.

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  View of city near Tiberias. According to the author, it is the biblical city of Betulia.

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  View of the outfall of river Jordan into the Sea of Galilee.

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  Settlement on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, according to the author the biblical city of Bethsaida, native place of Apostles Philip, Peter and Andrew.

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  View of the ruined city of Trista in the Holy Land, possibly modern-day Al-Tira outside Haifa. View of Bethany.

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  Remains of castle on the outskirts of Bethany, supposed house of Mary Magdalene. Fortress outside Bethany, called “Red Tower” (Torre Rossa) due to the many massacres which had taken place there. Site outside Bethany where Jesus wept when he heard of Lazarus' death from Mary Magdalene.

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  Fortress in the location identified as Betulia by the author. Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, possibly at Qasr el Yahud.

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  View of river Jordan at the place where Saint John the Baptist baptized Jesus.

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  Mar Saba monastery on the West Bank of Jordan River.

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  View of Jericho. View of the fortress of Damascus.

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  View of Damascus.

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  Settlement in the Holy Land.

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  Settlement in the Holy Land.

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  The place where Prophet Eijah was born, The mountain where Jesus ate after ending his fast and where Satan tried to tempt him.

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  Bridge near Damascus.

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  The site where Paul was baptized by Ananias. The site on the route to Damascus where Paul converted to Christianism.

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  Site outside Damascus where it was believed that Cain killed Abel.

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  Church on the route from Damascus to Beirut, site of Noah's tomb according to tradition.

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  Mount Ararat with Noah's Ark.

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  The tools used by Noah to construct the Ark. Port of Beirut.

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  Church on the outskirts of Beirut, where according to tradition Saint George killed the dragon.

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  Port of the city of Tennis or Tinis on the Nile Delta.

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  Port of the city of Tennis or Tinis on the Nile Delta.

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  View of fortress on the Nile, on the route from Cairo to Alexandria.

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  View of Cairo.

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  Elephant from Cairo.

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  Giraffe from Cairo.

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  Goat of Syrian or Mambrina breed. Giraffe from Cairo.

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  Tower of Babel in Babylon, Mesopotamia (imaginary depiction).

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  View of the fortress of Babylon in Cairo (modern-day Coptic quarter).

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  Church of the Virgin on the ouskirts of Cairo, on the site of the cave where the Holy Family hid while in Egypt (Santa Maria della Cava). Church outside Cairo near the former, (Santa Maria della Scala), with a red column which the Virgin hugged, leaving an indelible white imprint.

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  Tomb of Saint Barbara, possibly in the Coptic quarter of Cairo. View of the Pyramids of Giza; according to the author, they were the granaries of the Pharaohs of Egypt, built by Joseph son of Jacob.

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  Monastery, possibly dedicated to Saint Arsenius on the route from Cairo to Mount Sinai. Monastery of the Virgin of the Palm on the route from Cairo to Mount Sinai.

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  View of the Red Sea.

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  Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai.

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  Katholikon of the monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai.

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  The remains of Saint Catherine in the katholikon of the monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai.

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  The Burning Bush of Moses at the Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai.

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  Church of the Apparition of the Virgin on Mount Horeb. The site where God spoke to Moses on the Holy Summit or Mount Moses (Gebel Musa).

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  Church and mosque on the site where God gave the tablets of the Ten Commandments to Moses on the Holy Summit or Mount Moses (Gebel Mousa). Monastery of the Forty Martyrs. The summit of Saint Catherine, on which, according to tradition, the Angels laid down the remains of the Saint.

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  Saracene fortress with springs in the area of Mount Sinai.

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  View of Damietta.

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  Fruit tree from Damietta. Date palm from Damietta.

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  Camel and baboon from Damietta.

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  Baboon, crocodile, unicorn and salamander. Long-eared goat and long-tailed ram or billy-goat.

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  Orthodox church in Egypt.

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  Chapel of the Prison of Saint Catherine in Salamis, Cyprus, where, according to a certain tradition the saint was born and later imprisoned. View of Siteia, Crete.

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  View of Poreč in Croatia.