Birth of a legend
The first traces of Carnival date back to the 11th century. The doge was then Vitale Falier and Venetian power was triumphing over the Mediterranean. In the 12th century, with a curious procession of an ox and twelve pigs walking through the city to St. Mark's Square, the Serenissima's victory over the Patriarch of Aquileia, who had then tried to seize the city of Grado, was celebrated. The meat of the animals executed in the square was then distributed to the crowd, marking the beginning of a period of peace and jubilation. About two centuries later in 1206, the day before Lent, the carnival was publicly declared open. Since then, this festival has accompanied the life of the city, reflecting the various historical contingencies. The great victory of Lepanto, won in 1571 by the Repubblica Serenissima against the Turks, was a source of inspiration for the masks and a pretext for festivities around this theme during several successive carnivals. Sometimes processions of masks are formed, they are called mascherate
(masquerades). These merry processions are always particularly expected: masked and disguised characters roam the town singing and playing music, indulging in all sorts of eccentricities. In the 15th century the medieval sacrifice of animals was replaced by the most picturesque Flight of the Turk: a tightrope walker crosses the square walking on a wire connecting the bell tower to the Loggia Foscara of the Palazzo Ducale. Later and still today, the Flight of the Turk became Volo dell'Angelo or Volo della Colombina : an acrobat dressed in white descends along a wire stretched between the Basilica of San Marco and the bell tower of the same name. Halfway down, he drops a myriad of confetti and glitter over the heads of the spectators.The golden age of the Venice Carnival
But it was the 17th and 18th centuries that marked the golden age of the Venetian carnival. Like the swan that sings before its death, it was at the time when Venice's power was irreversibly declining politically and economically that the city put on its best show in terms of pomp and festivities. The festivities of Versailles seemed pale in comparison to the carnivals that took place in the second half of the 18th century in the city of the Doges.
By decree of the Senate of the Republic, the event is now extended from December 26th until the beginning of Lent. In one fell swoop, the barriers of the palazzi, casini, ridotti and taverns, the usual places reserved for pleasure and recreation, disappeared and the festival took up residence in the piazzas, on the campi, under the Procuratiae and Rialto market arcades and along the Grand Canal. Masks and disguises, until then rather sober, are becoming more sophisticated. Dressed in their bauta and tamarro, the patricians are everywhere, with their great and small intrigues, while the people revel in the processions of the Polichinelles, puppeteers and charlatans who walk their platforms through the city. The nobility ruins itself in the game, and the valet feels the equal of his master. Masquerades, serenades, travesties and entertainment are the order of the day. The theatres display new comedies every day and every palazzo lights up with a dazzling party every evening. The reputation of such festivities quickly spread beyond the borders of the Republic: soon the lords of the whole of Europe arrived in Venice to enjoy themselves in the calli and through the campi, in the casinos, on an altana or just for the time of a gondola trip. It is reported that even the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, who was a guest of the Tron and Rezzonico families in 1769, participated incognito in the carnival entertainment under the name of Count Falchenstein.Death and rebirth of the festivities
When the Repubblica Serenissima fell and the city lost its vitality, the carnival tradition was first banned by Napoleon and gradually abandoned even after the Restoration. It was not until the twentieth century and the 1980s that the Venice Carnival was once again recognized as one of the most famous in the world.
Now the time when the carnival lasted four months is over. Today's festivities are spread over fifteen days; the most intense period of the carnival is concentrated between the giovedì grasso (Shrove Tuesday) and the martedì grasso ( Shrove Tuesday) of February or March, depending on the annual date of the Christian Easter. It usually falls when winter is still pinching and it is not uncommon for it to rain or snow. But it may also be that the sun is shining and makes the shimmering costumes of the disguised characters sparkle with its rays. After a rich calendar of events and shows orchestrated by the municipality, on the last day the Carnival effigy is burned in St. Mark's Square.The Venetian masks
Carnival means mask. Without it, the carnival would make no sense. But its use in Venice went somewhat beyond the role of mere travesty. Together with the costume, it was an integral part of the daily life and culture of the Serenissima, where it was commonly worn even outside the carnival period. Originally, the mask was only allowed to be worn during the period from Santo Stefano (the day after Christmas, when Carnival began) to Shrove Tuesday, when the festivities were coming to an end. However, afterwards the wearing of the mask became more and more frequent. A symbol of the entertainment and social life of the city, people wore masks to go out at night, to use their weapons without the risk of being recognized and thrown in irons, to play games of chance, which were forbidden at the time... In short, the mask also made it possible to circumvent the laws of the Republic. Seeing that legislation on the subject was imperative, throughout the centuries the Council of Ten was obliged to legislate on the use of masks. The oldest law limiting the use of masks dates back to 1268. From that date on, dozens of laws governing its proper use can be counted. One of the most curious is that of 1467, which prohibited men disguised as women from entering monasteries, so that they could not engage in inhonestates
with the nuns.The Venetian mask par excellence is the bauta. White and smooth, it is the must of the carnival. It covers the entire face; only two holes are provided for the eyes. Worn equally by men and women, it was used in the 18th century when one wished to surround a meeting with discretion or anonymity. Composed of three elements: a black cape (the tabarro), a black tricorn, often worn over a light black silk hood extended by a lace hemline (the merletto), and a white mask of boiled cardboard, called a larva
, whose prominent bottom leaves enough space to eat without having to remove it. The hollow thus created alters the voice, preserving the wearer's anonymity. Other masks were also very popular, such as the moretta (a black oval mask, with holes for the eyes) or the gnaga (from gatto, which means cat, and actually has a feline appearance). But what kind of mask to wear today if you take part in the carnival? Whether it is traditionally Venetian or completely crazy, no dress code. Nowadays, 18th century and traditional costumes rub shoulders with the most unusual disguises. If you lack inspiration, think of the masks of the commedia dell'arte, or take a tour of the mask shops: the creators compete in originality.The delicacies of Carnival
During the carnival period, one never goes without the gastronomic delights typical of the event. Generally very rich and sweet, the sweets give balm to the heart to face the fresh air of the lagoon. Carnival-goers take advantage of the festive period to eat fritters, known as fritole in Venetian, fried fritters with pine nuts and raisins. The latter are sold in pastries, as are crostoli (or chiacchiere), a kind of bugnes sprinkled with icing sugar, or crema fritta, dumplings of custard or sabayon, fried and sprinkled with icing sugar, which stick to the fingers, very fatty but delicious!
Carnival today
Since the 1980s, Venice has recovered its tradition and Carnival is an official festivity. Trains and planes arriving in Venice each year unload tens of thousands of masked tourists who, together with the Venetians, come to relive the magic of Carnevale
. Every year an organizing committee establishes a theme, a guiding thread for the street shows, exhibitions, artistic and cultural performances, whose epicentre remains Saint Mark's Square. Comparable to a huge fair, the carnival offers, as it is experienced today, many events (programme at the tourist office and on the website www.carnevale.venezia.it). A big regatta is also organised: decorated boats carry people in disguise and masks along the Grand Canal from San Marco to Cannaregio. The party naturally follows the nautical parade. In the Cannaregio sestiere , north of the city, when the gondolas arrive loaded with their strange characters, the fireworks mark the beginning of a party that will only end in the early morning. The silvery Venetians and the tourists come dressed in their best attire. Some of them start as early as March to worry about their costumes for the following year. They devote astronomical sums to it. Perhaps not as authentic as in the past, the revival of the carnival has at least allowed the survival and maintenance of a craft that was otherwise doomed to oblivion. Beautiful mask workshops and renowned designers create fairy-tale masks and costumes. Alongside the official events, many off events are organised in all the hotels, palaces and restaurants of the city. These events are usually only open to registered and costumed participants and are subject to a fee. But the real celebrations take place in private homes, luxurious evenings, where nothing is left to chance, the privilege of a few lucky people.
