Carnival of Venice: a fairytale extravaganza in the middle of winter

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

In February, beautiful Venice invites everyone to the world's most famous carnival. These days, the Italian city turns into a real theater, and all residents and guests of the city become actors.

Most of the festive events of the Venetian Carnival are held in the evening and at night, but the spirit of fun and joy is felt here around the clock.

A bit of history …

The Venetians themselves say that this tradition originates from Saturnalia - the ancient Roman annual holidays in honor of the god Saturn. It was customary to celebrate them with festivities during the winter solstice after the harvest. On holidays, the slaves sat at the same table with the owners, and so that class prejudices did not bother anyone, everyone present wore masks.

The carnival was an outlet for everyone who obeyed strict religious laws and church prohibitions.

From Venice, carnivals gradually moved to other cities and countries. Costumes and masks became the main attributes of any carnival - this was how social differences were hidden, and during the holiday everyone became equal. The carnival was an outlet for everyone who obeyed strict religious laws and church prohibitions. During the celebration, nothing seemed too bold, embarrassing, dissolute.

Venetian carnival masks

It turns out that the fabulous carnival has a rather ordinary history. But this does not at all prevent lovers of real entertainment from experiencing all the charm of carnival life. To feel involved in this splendor and become one hundred percent participant in the holiday, you need to choose a mask in advance and think over an outfit.

The selection of modern Venetian masks is simply huge! These are real works of art: masks are painted by hand using gold leaf and soil, and then decorated with precious stones and bird feathers. It is they who become the protagonists of the carnival extravaganza when a disguised crowd fills the squares and streets of Venice. These days Harlequin, Pierrot, Columbine or Pantalone can easily come up and talk to you!

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Most popular masks:

• "Moretta" - an oval black mask for a woman;
• "Bauta" - men's white satin mask, decorated with black silk. The outfit is complemented by a black hat and cape;
• The Plague Doctor is a very sinister mask with a long beak;
• "Cat mask" - once it was cats that saved Venice from the invasion of rodents;
• "Volto" or "Larva" is a neutral mask that hides the entire face.

It remains only to choose for yourself any one you like …

Carnival these days

Every year, more than half a million tourists come to Venice carnival events to take part in the celebration or just to take a look.

Couples in love especially love to come here to celebrate Valentine's Day on the eve of or during the carnival. Admiring festive Venice from a gondola - what could be more romantic? As you sail along the narrow water streets of the Grand Canal, the city seems simply magical - houses, squares, palaces …

Carnival opens "Festa delle Marie" - an old Venetian holiday dedicated to the release of girls abducted from Istria by pirates. On Saint Mark's Square, spectators watch a performance in the style of a commedia dell'arte, after which it is rained with confetti.

Then starts pageant: concerts and fireworks are held in the city squares, masquerade balls are given in ancient palaces, carnival-themed performances are held in theaters. And here you can also see costumed performances that completely recreate the frivolous, enchanting atmosphere of the carnivals of the past centuries.

By the way, in 1996, the Venice Carnival even had its own anthem, which was written for it by the French couturier Pierre Cardin.

If you want to be transported into a fairy tale right in the middle of winter and see all this fantastic splendor - go to Venice. Such an adventure will never be forgotten!

Anyone can do this, only places in hotels need to be booked long before the holiday. In 2014, the carnival will run from February 15 to March 4.