The Carnival of Venice in Venice, Italy
Fri, Feb 8th 2008, 00:00
The Carnival of Venice is an opulent event that traces its history back to the 1100’s.
In 1162 the people of Venice celebrated the defeat of the Patriarch of Aquileia with a public slaughtering of a bull and 12 pigs in the Piazza San Marco. This celebration continued on Shrove Tuesday each year.
The 18th Century was the zenith of Carnival celebrations. The wealthy from all over Europe would head to Italy for the Carnival celebrations and the decadent masked balls that were held during this time in the opulent palaces lining the Grand Canal.
The Carnival of Venice went into decline in the 1930’s when Mussolini banned it, but in more recent years there has been a concerted effort to recreate the glory days of Carnival in the 18th century. Once again the Carnival of Venice is a highlight on the social calendar of the European winter.
While the poor and rich mingle in the Venice streets to enjoy the variety of spectacles and gondola displays on the famous canals, there is a busy programme of decadent balls held during Carnival fortnight too. These are highly exclusive events which see celebrities and heads of state vying for the very costly tickets, and organisers striving to outdo each other in their elaborate feasts for the senses.
Carnival runs for 2 weeks to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. In 2008 Carnival ran until 5 Feburary. Future dates:
Venice Carnival 2009 - February 13-24
Venice Carnival 2010 - February 5-16
Carnival Masks
In the Middle Ages, the nobles of Venice developed a habit of wearing masks when they were involved in questionable acts, like gambling, drinking or indulging in sexual rendezvous. The authorities passed laws prohibiting the wearing of masks for most of the year; except for a few permitted days, Carnival time being one of them.
The wearing of masks is what makes the Carnival of Venice so distinct. In the spirit of the ancient festival of Saturnalia, the wearer of the mask can hide their social status. The social order was abandoned for the heady days of Carnival and commoners and noblemen could rub shoulders anonymously.
In 2008, Venice Carnival organisers made an effort to update the celebrations. Volo dell’Angelo, flight of the angel, is the traditional and dramatic opening event in which the Carnival angel glides down a rope from the famous San Marco bell tower. This year, US rapper Coolio, was the angel, scattering confetti on the crowds below. Other new additions were a parade of drag queens and masked dogs!
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