Birth of a legend
The first traces of Carnival date back to the 11th century. The doge was Vitale Falier, and Venetian power triumphed over the Mediterranean. In the 12th century, a curious procession of an ox and twelve pigs through the city to Piazza San Marco celebrated the Serenissima's victory over the Patriarch of Aquileia, who had attempted to seize the city of Grado. The meat of the animals executed in the square was distributed to the crowds, marking the beginning of a period of peace and jubilation. Around two centuries later, in 1206, on the day before Lent, 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, is a source of inspiration for masks and a pretext for festivities around this theme during successive carnivals. Sometimes masked processions are formed, known as mascherate (masquerades). These joyous parades are always eagerly awaited: masked and disguised characters roam the town, singing and playing music, and indulging in all manner of eccentricities.
In the 15th century, the medieval animal sacrifice was replaced by the more picturesque Vol du Turc: a tightrope walker traverses the square on a wire linking the campanile to the Loggia Foscara of the Palazzo Ducale. Later, and still today, the Vol du Turc is transformed into the Volo dell'Angelo or Volo della Colombina : an acrobat dressed in white descends a wire stretched between St. Mark's Basilica and the campanile of the same name. Halfway down, he drops a myriad of confetti and sequins 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 Venetian carnival. Like the swan that sings before its death, it was at a time when Venice's power was irreversibly declining politically and economically that the city put on its finest show of pomp and festivity. The festivities at Versailles paled in comparison with the carnivals held in the city of the Doges in the second half of the 18th century.
By decree of the Senate of the Republic, the event now extends from December 26 to the beginning of Lent. At a stroke, the gates of the palazzi, casini, ridotti and taverns, the usual places reserved for pleasure and leisure, disappeared, and the festivities took up permanent residence in the piazze, on the campi, under the arcades of the Procuratiae and the Rialto market, and along the Grand Canal. Masks and disguises, hitherto rather sober, gained in sophistication. Dressed in their bauta and tamarro, the patricians were everywhere weaving their great and petty intrigues, while the townsfolk revelled in the processions of Polichinelles, puppeteers and charlatans strolling their platforms through the city. The nobility ruin themselves at play, and the valet feels the equal of his master. Masquerades, serenades, travesties and entertainments were the order of the day. Theaters put on 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 lords from all over Europe were flocking to Venice to be entertained in the calli and across the campi, in the casinos, on an altana or just for the time of a gondola ride. It is said that even the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, guest of the Tron and Rezzonico families in 1769, participated incognito in the carnival entertainments, under the name of Count Falchenstein.
Death and rebirth of the festivities
As 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 wasn't until the 20th century and the 1980s that Venice's Carnival was once again recognized as one of the most famous in the world.
Gone are the days when Carnival lasted four months. Today's festivities are spread over a fortnight; the most intense period of Carnevale is concentrated between giovedì grasso (Shrove Thursday) and martedì grasso (Shrove Tuesday) in February or March, depending on the annual date of Christian Easter. This is usually when winter is still pinching, and rain or snow is not uncommon. But it's also possible that the sun is shining, making the shimmering costumes of the costumed characters sparkle with its rays. After a rich calendar of events and shows orchestrated by the municipality, the last day sees the burning of the Carnival effigy in Piazza San Marco.
The Venetian masks
Carnival means masks. Without them, carnival would be meaningless. But its use in Venice went far beyond the role of simple disguise. Along with costume, it was an integral part of daily life and culture in the Serenissima, where it was commonly worn even outside the carnival period. Originally, masks were only allowed to be worn between Santo Stefano (the day after Christmas, when Carnevale began) and Shrove Tuesday, when the festivities drew to a close. Thereafter, however, the wearing of masks became increasingly common. A symbol of the city's entertainment and social life, masks were worn to go out at night, to use weapons without the risk of being recognized and put in irons, to play games of chance, which were forbidden at the time... In short, masks were also used to circumvent the laws of the Republic. As legislation on the subject became imperative, over the centuries the Council of Ten was obliged to legislate on the use of masks. The earliest law restricting the wearing of masks dates back to 1268. From that date onwards, dozens of laws governed the proper use of masks. Among the most curious is that of 1467, which prohibited men disguised as women from entering monasteries, to prevent them from engaging in multas inhonestates with the nuns.
The Venetian mask par excellence is the bauta. White and smooth, it's a carnival staple. The mask covers the entire face, with only two holes for the eyes. Worn by men and women alike, it was customary in the 18th century for those wishing to surround a meeting with discretion or anonymity. Composed of three elements: a black cape (the tabarro), a black tricorne, often worn over a black silk hood, lightly extended with a lace hem, the merletto, and a white mask of boiled cardboard, called larva, whose prominent bottom leaves enough space to eat without needing to remove it. The hollow thus created modifies 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 meaning cat, which indeed has a feline appearance). But what kind of mask should you wear these days if you're taking part in Carnival? Whether traditionally Venetian or completely crazy, there's no dress code. Today, 18th-century garb and traditional costumes rub shoulders with the most unusual disguises. If you're short of inspiration, think of commedia dell'arte masks, or take a look around mask stores: designers vie for originality.
The delicacies of Carnival
At carnival time, you can't go without some of the gastronomic delights typical of the event. Generally very rich and sweet, the sweets are a welcome relief from the fresh air of the lagoon. Carnival-goers take advantage of the festive period to eat frittelle, or fritole in Venetian, fried doughnuts with pine nuts and raisins. These are sold in pastry shops, as are crostoli (or chiacchiere), a kind of doughnut sprinkled with powdered sugar, and crema fritta, fried balls of custard or sabayon sprinkled with powdered sugar that stick to the fingers - very greasy but delicious!
Carnival today
Since the 1980s, Venice has regained its tradition and Carnival has become an official festivity. Every year, trains and planes arriving in Venice unload tens of thousands of masked tourists who, along with the Venetians, come to relive the magic of the Carnevale.
Each year, an organizing committee establishes a theme to guide the street shows, exhibitions, artistic and cultural performances, the epicenter of which is Piazza San Marco. Comparable to a huge fair, Carnival today offers a wide range of events (program available from the tourist office and at www.carnevale.venezia.it). A great regatta is also organized: decorated boats carry people in disguise and masks along the Grand Canal, from San Marco to Cannaregio. The festival naturally follows the nautical parade. In the sestiere of Cannaregio, to the north of the city, when the gondolas arrive laden with their bizarre characters, fireworks mark the start of a festival that will not end until the early hours of the morning. Silvered Venetians and tourists come to parade in their finest finery. Some begin as early as March to worry about their costumes for the following year. They spend astronomical amounts of money on it. Although perhaps not as authentic as in the past, the renaissance of Carnival has at least enabled the survival and maintenance of a craft that would otherwise have been doomed to oblivion. Beautiful mask workshops and renowned designers create fairytale masks and costumes. Alongside the official events, numerous off-site events are organized in the city's hotels, palaces and restaurants. For a fee, they are usually open only to registered participants in costume. But the real parties take place in private homes, luxurious soirees where nothing is left to chance - the privilege of the lucky few.
