Italy. Venice Carnival - luxurious, enchanting, mysterious. Venice Carnival - an event worth visiting In what year did the revival of the Venice Carnival take place

What is the Venice Carnival? This is a time of unbridled fun, celebration and joy. The city is filled with extravaganza of goodness, luxury and magic. From the window you can see elegant beauties whirling to the rhythm of the melody. Gallant gentlemen walk the streets with an important gait. Every resident of the city knows about the celebration and wants to take part in it. Unusual costumes create an appropriate atmosphere. Each street becomes mystical, and the inhabitants are waiting for a miracle.

Italians and guests of this magnificent country can try on costumes and feel in a new way. The presence of masks allows you to connect all the participants into one. Only at this historic event you can feel like a luxurious lady or a gallant gentleman.

Preparations have already begun for the celebration, which will be held in 2018. The carnival time is already known. It will last from January 27 to February 13.

Grand opening Venetian carnival 2017 year will be held on 27 and 28 January.

It will be possible not only to have fun, but also to please your home with a colorful purchase. Also, this holiday will be dedicated to various delicacies. At the carnival, you can taste the taste of traditional dishes and drinks. They will be present in every corner of the city throughout the celebration.

All information and program on the official website of the carnival - http://www.carnevale.venezia.it/programma-eventi/.

Flight of an angel at the Venice Carnival

The carnival party is available not only for residents of Italy. Venice friendly opens its gates to every guest from all countries.

Hurry up and try on the mask!

The carnival party brings together people from every class. This holiday is considered to be a time of freedom and unity. In such a wonderful unearthly moment, you can forget about all the troubles, have fun from the heart and try yourself in a new image.

All the people of the city take part in the carnival, only one of them entertains the guests, and the rest are spectators. The Venice Carnival has gained incredible popularity.

Every year, many tourists gather in Italy to enjoy this atmosphere. Unfortunately, all the mystery, mystery and luxury have disappeared from the current celebrations. Now, this holiday can be compared with a modern festivities. But still, there is still something left.

As before, you can see a theatrical procession on the streets of the city. But, even in it every year there are fewer and fewer unusual masks. Guests of the city sparkle with camera flashes, hoping to keep in their memory all the best moments of the carnival.

Venice is a friendly city. He always happily welcomes tourists from all countries. But, as a rule, guests of Italy prefer the side of the observer more. Few people can afford to put on a costume and join the atmosphere of the Venetian carnival.

But be sure every tourist must wear a mask and be a participant in the procession. Only in this way it will be possible to truly feel the taste of freedom. Having plunged into the celebration, at least for a few minutes, at the same moment all problems, hardships and troubles will be forgotten.

An atmosphere of happiness will reign in the soul. Only here there is a chance to experience historical times. Each person will be in anticipation of something unusual. The presence of masks allows you to make the whole people as one. In a moment, you can forget about who belongs to what class. In the carnival, everyone is absolutely equal!

It is for this reason that, being at the carnival, you need to try on an unusual mask. But, unfortunately, this holiday has its downsides. To create your own carnival image, you need to spend a lot of money. Each traditional dress has high quality and are usually made to order.

Many costumes are adorned with luxurious fabrics such as velvet or fur. But, it is worth approaching the problem of financial costs from the other side. Carnival takes place only once a year. Perhaps a tourist will get such a chance once in a lifetime.

But, this event will be remembered for a long time! Yes, and the costume itself will long remind you of the most joyful event. At the carnival, the worldview of a person and the whole surrounding atmosphere change. Only here you can feel in a luxurious guise.

The role of the mask is to give a person maximum freedom. Behind it, you can hide your face and try to see a stranger passing by.

Before coming to the carnival, it is worth learning a few rules.

In no case should you get to know people, communicate and even pass on any gestures. If you like a stranger, then you should smile politely and give him your business card.
Carnival is not only a big procession. It also includes a lot of entertainment. Wearing a mask, you can visit cafes and restaurants, drink a glass of delicious wine or taste traditional donuts.
Upon arrival in Italy, you can contact the designer with a request to create a costume. In this case, the image must be selected to every detail. Appropriate hair and makeup is required. It's not scary that the suit can be expensive, but it will be the most favorite clothes in the wardrobe. In it, you can change your grace, demeanor and communication style. A new look will make you feel like a hero of a new life.

Even Small child knows that all good things come to an end quickly. This also applies to carnival celebrations. The end of the party is accompanied by a chic fireworks display. Colored rain appears in the sky. Many participants have tears in their eyes. After the sound of fireworks has passed, each person takes off his mask and shows his true face to the world.

It becomes quiet in the city, nothing reminds of the past holiday and there is an atmosphere of expectation of a new carnival.

A bit of history about the Venice Carnival

The magical holiday covers several countries. The onset of Lent is accompanied by noisy carnival parties in France, Rio de Janeiro and Switzerland. Everyone can join the atmosphere of celebration.

But despite its prevalence in all countries, not a single event can be compared with the Venetian carnival. The festive event spans ten days. During this time, every corner of the city is full of colorful performances.

It is hard to believe that colorful parties have existed for several centuries. It is generally accepted that the predecessor of this holiday was a dedication to the god Saturn. The inhabitants of Rome held events dedicated to fertility and harvest. This time united all classes of the people. Slaves and their masters could dine at the same table.

Any important event of the pagans could not do without a sacrifice. This also applies to Venice. Here, several centuries ago, there was a barbaric custom. At the time for which the celebration was planned, a dummy king was chosen.

After the holidays were over, he had to commit suicide, stabbed or burned. Such joys were in the days of the pagans.

But, after the Christian faith appeared, such events became irrational and disappeared. Appeared new idea. In Italy, a series of carnivals began to take place, uniting all classes of the people.

History has not preserved the exact date of the beginning of such events. But, tentatively, this happened in the 11th century. Gradually the Venetian carnivals developed. The peak of the popularity of this celebration captured the 18th century. Everyone loved this holiday and plunged into the intoxicating atmosphere.

Moments of permissiveness, passion and romance came, which people could not help but like. Even the most modest person at that time could afford to turn into a wild lady.

People hid their faces behind unusual masks, in which it was possible not only to walk, but also to do the usual things. But, despite the busyness, the atmosphere of freedom soared.

In the 18th century, the famous Italian comedy appeared on the screens, in which carnival columns became participants in some scenes. It became a significant event for the whole world.

After it, the tradition of launching a paper emblem appeared, symbolizing the beginning of the carnival story. It was launched into the air, after which it exploded and small particles appeared in the air.

But, after the revolution, the Venetian carnivals raised doubts in the authorities and were completely banned in the 19th century and resumed again 50 years later. With the consent of the Pope, people again saw a paper dove circling in the sky.

Celebration, fun and joy appeared on the streets. Today, this event is official and is accompanied by a thematic hymn written in 1996. Now carnivals are held annually.

Procession of Mary - a tribute to beauty and courage

The Venice Carnival has a romantic beginning. From the bell tower, from a height of one hundred meters, an angel descends. This is an incredibly bright and significant celebration.

Multi-colored snow blows over the city. No one wants to stay at home at this moment, because every street is filled with live music, loud laughter and the sounds of a carnival column.

The day of beauty and courage was celebrated back in 943. And on February 2, they began to celebrate the day of the Presentation of Mary. Many couples wanted to legalize their marriage on this significant date.

In front of the church of St. Nicholas, there was a canal of virgins, along which twelve brides solemnly sailed in wedding corteges. They were on their way to meet their life partners.

This holiday would be considered happy if not for the attack of the pirates who stole the girls. But the story ended heroically. The Venetian men fought the pirates and freed their beauties.

This story is known to every person in the country. Now, the most famous rich people are ready to pay for the wedding of all the girls named Maria, who are getting married on this very day.

Perhaps in connection with this event, the name is popular. Many information says that beauties went down the aisle only with influential people.

On this day, beauty contests are held annually, also symbolizing the event. From twelve cities, one girl participated. Each beauty had to serve in all churches.

The girls wore luxurious outfits and received the most expensive jewelry as a gift. Such a beautiful tradition, gradually became costly. The government, as an economy, decided to reduce the number of beauties to three.

However, this was also unprofitable, and they were replaced by wooden dolls. Such a defiant act caused a lot of negative emotions among the residents of the city. At present, the tradition is of a folk character. There are many different legends. As a rule, it is not known how much each of them is true.

The holiday begins with a theatrical procession. From St. Peter's to St. Mark's Square, where the Doge's Palace is located, twelve beauties in carnival costumes move, then a vote is taken. The young lady, who is recognized as the most beautiful, is awarded a well-deserved prize.

Venice is an extraordinarily beautiful city. To this day, carnivals are held here every year. For example, 2013 was remembered by people with a celebration called “Live in color”.

It was a thematic celebration of two elements - fire and water. Even nature, as if, prepared for the carnival. Before the opening of the carnival, there was heavy rain and the inhabitants took it as nature's approval for the celebration. On the opening day of the carnival, according to tradition, an angel descended, but last year he was accompanied by a lion and an eagle.

Everyone could find a hobby to their liking: circus performances, exhibitions of talented artists, various parties, etc. were held in the city.

The next 2014 was also dedicated to nature. Its theme was the amazing ratio of the living - man and nature. Every country has its own concept of beauty.

In Venice, they expressed their admiration for the lush forest, the sunny valley, the mysterious sea and mountains. Great importance was given not only to nature, but to all the creatures inhabiting it. People tried to look special.

The atmosphere of Eastern and Western fairy tales lurked around. Women and men wore unusual masks, reminiscent of the inhabitants of Asia, Africa and America.

The inhabitants of Venice attach special importance to the carnival party. For a long time before her, they think over their image to the smallest detail, sew clothes and prepare masks.

Mysterious ladies in luxurious outfits and lace half masks, cavaliers in bouts, processions and parades, street performances and music... Today, the carnival in Venice follows the prescribed rules and has a certain theme, but several centuries earlier it was a real revelry of excitement and flirting.

The history of the masquerade

The history of Carnevale di Venezia takes us back to the times of Ancient Rome, to the annual Saturnalia - a holiday in honor of the ancient Roman god Saturn, the patron saint of agriculture. Saturnalia was celebrated in December, days winter solstice.

Only during the period of Saturnalia did everyone become equal to each other- the slave became equal to his master and had the right to sit at the same table with him. And so that the social situation did not embarrass anyone and did not give rise to prejudices, everyone put on special masks that completely hide their faces. Thus, no one knew whether the slave in front of him or the noble master. It was possible to do anything, regardless of rank and position in society.

With the advent of Christian traditions, the holiday has changed a little.- now no one disturbed the ancient Roman pantheon of gods. The holiday was no longer dedicated to the gods, people just wanted to have fun, in which almost everything was allowed. The indispensable attributes of the holiday are a mask, and with it carnival costume, remained unchanged.

But the date of the holiday has shifted a bit. Carnival began to be held towards the end of winter, in the days preceding the beginning of Lent.

The date of the first Venice Carnival in different sources is also mentioned differently.. According to some sources, the time of the first carnival was 1094, when the Venetian Republic celebrated the conclusion of a successful treaty with Byzantium, which gave it advantages for trade in the Mediterranean.

Another version shifts the date of the carnival to 1162. when, in the confrontation between the Republic of Venice and the Patriarch Ulrico, she was the first to emerge victorious. To commemorate this victory, the townspeople held festivities and feasts in St. Mark's Square.

In 1296, the holiday already becomes the official city carnival - the Senate of the Venetian Republic declared the last day before Lent a holiday.

The heyday of the carnival in Venice falls on the XVIII century- then during the festivities, almost everything was allowed. Entire fortunes descended in casinos and gambling houses, ladies cheated on their husbands, and husbands cheated on their wives. The air was filled with excitement.

Everything was rather frivolous and simple - after all, the face was hidden by a mask, which means that no one would know who was doing these atrocities. At the end of the XVIII century (1797), after the capture of Italy by the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, being an ardent opponent of carnivals and public games, banned these outrages.

The revival of the masquerade took place only in the 80s of the XX century, and then the holiday began to be held on an even larger scale, as if recouping for the years of disgrace.

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When the event takes place: date of celebration in 2017

Currently Carnevale di Venezia is themed- the main theme of the holiday is officially established. For example, for 10 years the theme of the holiday was cinema, namely the films of Federico Fellini.

There were holidays dedicated to travel in general(the topic is “Travel and Travellers”) or to a particular country or part of the world (“The East and its traditions”). All performances of the Venice Carnival in Italy, as well as the costumes of the main acting characters and heroes, were kept in the theme of the holiday. The theme for 2014 was nature, 2015 for delicious food, and 2016 for Arts and Crafts.

Preparation for events 2017 the year is coming in full swing: after all, the time of the celebration is from 11 to 28 February inclusive. For these two weeks, Venice will bloom and sparkle with a hundred shades.

The beauty of Carnevale di Venezia is that this is an open event available to tourists from any country. Anyone can try on an 18th or 19th century costume and join the noisy crowd of celebrating. Required condition- wearing a bauta (a special carnival mask), without it the holiday is not considered a holiday.

Is it true, to create a carnival image, you have to fork out a lot: luxurious and expensive fabrics, lace, fur - such chic outfits cost a lot. Fortunately, there are offices that are ready to offer rental of traditional carnival costumes for a fee.

But if you did not have time during the days of the official celebration, you should not be upset - a carnival mask and other paraphernalia can be purchased in special souvenir shops.

The price for the most expensive and luxurious bouts reaches 150 euros. But do not rush to buy them: sometimes masks for 5-10 euros are much more convenient, and they are not inferior in beauty.

After watching this video, you can plunge into the atmosphere of the celebration of the Venice Carnival:

Note to tourists:

Traditionally, before a strict fast and ten days before Shrovetide, lush Carnivals are celebrated all over Italy in a bright and colorful way, which literally means “farewell to meat” (Italian: Carni, vale). The most famous carnival in Italy, and throughout the world, is the carnival in Venice. Separately, about the dates of the Carnivals in 2010-2020. , now let's dwell in more detail on the holiday itself.

Every year Venice Carnival takes place under a special slogan or theme around which the entire cultural program is built, although, of course, the program of events also includes numerous traditional rituals that are followed during a huge stage performance. After all, the main stage of the holiday is the whole city, with its squares, streets, large and small canals, and, of course, theaters.

Carnival costumes in Venice

As we have already noted, the Venice Carnival is one of the most famous and popular carnivals in the world. The first mention of Carnival in Venice dates back to 1094, and in 1296 it even receives the status public holiday. For several centuries, the Carnival holiday lasted for 6-8 weeks and ended only with the onset of Maslenitsa, and there were cases when the Celebrations began from October of the previous year.

Idea for the Venice Carnival belonged to the Venetian nobles. I really wanted to come up with something of my own - similar to the Ancient Roman one - where the slogan "Bread and circuses" would work, and they really succeeded.

The original purpose of the Carnival is to provide citizens, especially those of the lower classes, with the opportunity to at least for a short period of time get rid of the daily routine, forget about prejudices and differences and indulge in irrepressible fun.

At the Venice Carnival, you can forget about the daily routine

The Venetians got the opportunity to enjoy life and break away, as they say, “without brakes” with the help of carnival masks and costumes that concealed the face, social affiliation and even gender, which guaranteed complete anonymity.

Commoners often hid under the guise of noble lords and ladies, and true secular lionesses and "powerful ones" hid their faces behind the mask of simpletons. However, not always Carnival mask hid good intentions - sometimes it served as a cover for committing crimes.

In the 18th century, the Venice Carnival gradually loses its former significance and chic, and soon “leaves the stage” altogether. Revival of the Venice Carnival with great success took place relatively recently - in 1979, the year. And in our time, Venice and Carnival are inseparable concepts from each other.

Today, the Venice Carnival is a bright, enchanting holiday in which history and modernity merge together. The streets and squares of the city are filled with magicians, clowns, acrobats and jugglers. The main thing in the holiday is that everyone can turn from a spectator into an artist and show their show, receiving attention and applause from the public.

At the carnival, everyone can turn from a spectator into an artist

Mandatory attributes of the program of each carnival are theatrical processions and shows, concerts of classical and modern music, solo programs of pop artists, as well as a parade of the most beautiful and original masks. The best theatrical and circus groups of Europe are honored to take part in the Venice Carnival.

On the night of Shrove Tuesday, with a silent procession of boats and gondolas lined up by candlelight along the Grand Canal, Venice traditionally says goodbye to Carnival in order to celebrate it even brighter, more colorful and more fun a year later.

What is a carnival, I think, no need to explain. And aboutVenice Carnivaleveryone heard something. One of the most famous and revered carnivals in the world for several centuries in a row has been attracting attention and gathering on its festive events tens of thousands of people every year.

If you have heard about this world event out of the corner of your ear or know something, but have not yet decided whether you should go there or not, then after reading this material, I think, make a decisionit will be easier for you.

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What is carnival in Venice When, how and for how muchPlanning a tripCostume and maskOnce again about masksWhat, when and whereCarnival programHow to behave at the carnivalWhat and where to eat

Traveled around Venice and now shares his impressions

What is carnival in Venice

carnival movementin today's world leads its way from ancient times. The etymology of the word itself is not entirely clear, there are different versions, but the main one is as follows:

the word "carnival" comes from the Italian words "carne" and "vale", literally "meat" and "go ahead"

Carnival festivities in medieval Italy, and a little later throughout Europe, were held just two or three weeks before the onset of Lent, when meat was forbidden for consumption (in fact, carnival is the European analogue of the Slavic Shrovetide).

The roots of the holiday go back to Ancient Rome: remember “bread and circuses”, so the rulers of ancient Venice, one might say, revived the Roman Saturnalia in their own way, giving all segments of the population the opportunity to unite in a general festivities and wild dances before the general spiritual and physical cleansing before Easter.

First documentary mentionabout the Venice Carnivalrefers to 1094, after 1162, when the victory over the patriarch of Aquileia grew into a massive folk festival, the carnival became an annual event. A withXIII-XIV centuries. acquired those forms and traditions that are now known and which the organizers of the Venice Carnival are trying their best to adhere to: these are costumed festivities and celebrations, where entry without a mask is prohibited.

For centuries, crowds of people from all over Italy and Europe have gathered for the carnival in the Most Serene Republic. Sometimes carnivals began much earlier than the dates that were originally set aside for a holiday before the start of Lent: from December, or even from October, the city was already teeming with people in masks on their faces, fun was in full swing everywhere, the most unimaginable things were happening under the cover of masks, and sometimes even crimes. It got to the point that the Council of Ten, headed by the Doge - the ruler of the city - even forbade the wearing of masks on non-carnival days, threatening with huge fines, prison and many years of exile, and women with public flogging with rods in the square.

In the almost thousand-year history of the Venice Carnival, there was a period of calm and even oblivion, whenIn 1797, Napoleon banned the carnival in Venice by decree., in the 19th century they tried to revive it, but rather timidly, locally and privately.

Only Since 1979, thanks to the idea of the great Federico Fellini, the Venice Carnival has been revivedas a huge commercial project that annually gathers tens of thousands of people from all over the world to the streets, squares and palaces of Venice to have fun in a big way, “break away to the fullest” so that, having spent a lot of money and not regretting it, then remember this trip all their lives .

When, how and for how much

Now we come to perhaps the most important and difficult topic of the story: timing and amounts.

As I already said,timing of the Venice Carnivalset in accordancewith the start of Lent.

All information about the carnival, dates, program of events, ordering and buying tickets should be found on the carnival website: carnevale.venezia.it

According to preliminary data, the carnival of the next, 2018, year will be held from January 27 to February 13.

So, since the summer you can look for and book accommodation.

The closer to the opening date of the carnival, the more difficult it is to find a place where you can stay.very popular, there are many who want to visit it, so do not waste time looking for housing (see sites: booking.com, hotellook.ru , airbnb), choose a program (see the carnival website).

With the purchase of air tickets to Venice, too, you should not pull, they will help you on the sites: aviasales.ru, skyscanner.ru and the like.

Planning a trip

Having solved the problem of housing and roads,choose your entertainment program. Venice Carnival -business is quite costly.. In addition to the square events available for walkers, the carnival program is filled with variouscostume ballsfor the elite public: you can buy a ticket there on the carnival website, butprices for balls are rising, ranging from 150-200 euros, reaching up to 2800 euros (this is the price for a VIP ticket).

Naturally, not everywhere tickets are so expensive. The most expensive ball was and remainsDoge Ball, which takes place in the Palazzo Pisani Moretta, butGrand Masquerade Ballin the same palace a day later awaits guests for a more moderate fee:from 590 euros for a simple ticket to 850 euros for a VIP seat. Balls and masquerades are held in the Palazzo Contarini della Porta di Ferro, the hotels "Carlton", "Metropol", "Monaco", Palazzo Dandolo, Palazzo Zen.

The program and information about the cost of tickets, as well as what this cost includes, you can find on the carnival website.All information on the sitePublished in two languages: Italian and English. The program of carnival balls will also be reported by this site:book-my-palace.com, and here's more: venice-carnival-italy.com , - where you can choose a ball and issue a ticket for it.

Costume and mask

Another one the most important cost line: mask and costume.

Entrance to balls in the Venetian palazzo without a costume and a mask is strictly prohibited!

So before you travelyou can make your own costumeand take it with you, you can order a costume from the master (but be sure to specify the theme of the carnival, the costume must match the theme), or you can rent it right upon arrival in Venice.

For example, in the famous Atelier "Flavia", for a fee in 400-600 euros per dayyou will pick up an excellent suit and accessories to it. Studio website:veniceatelier.com .

There are several storeswhere you can buy quality costumes:Benor Maschere Venezia, "Ca' Macana", Ca' del Sol Maschere.

However, there are a lot of shops and shops where they sell masks and at least just raincoats in Venice, and before the carnival, it seems that their number is increasing.

As for youth carnival parties, everything is much simpler with the dress code, since the principle “the worse, the merrier” applies: you can easily buy masks and accessories at any supermarket. It's cheaper and funnier. How to find supermarkets, I wrote in an article .

masks

About Venetian masksI advise you to read special literature, everything is not so simple and unambiguous here. To starttake a look here... Buying a mask in Venice is not a problem, there are plenty of them.Prices range from 5 to 250 euros.

Do not immediately rush to any mask, take a closer look, try it on. It can be beautifully made and cost a lot of money, but it does not fit you at all in size or shape. Sometimes the simplest cheap mask from a souvenir shop turns out to be more original and advantageous than an expensive branded product.

What, when and where

Every year two or three weeks before Lent (date "floating", to find out the dates of the carnival most reliably on its website) the city is immersed in the ancient atmosphere of an unrestrained national holiday, where passions rage under the masks of commedia dellarte, acquaintances are made, ancient traditions are revived, ancient stories are re-occurring, where no one cares who you are, where and why here, it is important that you are just here and now, and together with everyone you are ready to rush into this pool of joy and happiness, beauty and mystery.

Every year carnival has specific topic , and most of the events correspond to this theme and reflect it. For example, two years ago the opening of the carnival coincided with Valentine's Day, hence the theme was taken, this year the carnival took the theme "Vanity Fair - Vanity in all forms."

The structure of the holiday is made up of events and events that have been worked out for centuries:

Water parade along the Cannaregio and Canale Grande- a grandiose water and light show, when a cavalcade of boats, boats and gondolas in the light of searchlights and projectors moves along wide channels, and artists, dancers, gymnasts dressed in fancy costumes work wonders in these boats;
Feast of Mary- a procession from the church of San Pietro di Castello along the central embankment to Piazza San Marco of pre-selected beautiful girls, symbolizing the liberation by the Venetians of girls from the captivity of Istrian pirates;
Flight of the Angel- descent from the Campanile San Marco to Piazza San Marco of a girl who, during the flight, scatters confetti over the crowds of spectators;
Parody Donkey Flight and Eagle Flight- these events take place in the mainland of Venice, Mestre;
Competition for the most original mask carnival;
Various themed ballsin the ancient palaces of Venice.

Carnival program

On Piazza San Marco line upwooden street theater, on the stage of which, on the opening day of the carnival, the newly rescued from the pirates of Mary are presented, and where, after descending from the bell tower, the same Angel rises, shecolumbine carnival, and Doge greets her.

There have been no doges in Venice since the fall of the Most Serene Republic, and once it was its ruler, elected through the most complex electoral procedures for life; it is clear that at the carnival the figure of the Doge is symbolic, he is portrayed by an actor.

Throughout the carnival, the stage is provided to a variety of theaters, musicians and famous performers.At Campo San Poloarrange a traditionalice rink. A variety of processions are held along the streets and squares of the city: from ensembles of drummers and trumpeters, groups of acrobats to dancing or simply walking with shouts and jokes of crowds dressed in costumes of the most unimaginable colors and shapes of people.

An extensive program is offeredVenetian and visiting theaters, showrooms. In various parts of the city, both on the islands and in the mainland, you can find entertainment to your taste and budget.

All these days, the squares of Venice are crowded with young people in masks who have fun with games, dances, songs. Cafes and restaurants are open and full of visitors, during mass events, treats are prepared for guests on the streets, which are sold and served from open stalls, in a variety of celebrants set along the route.

It makes no sense to describe the entire program here, it is always different and varied. Therefore, once again I give a link to the Venice Carnival website, immediately to the sectionEvents… , where you will get acquainted with the program, and select an event for yourself, and you can buy a ticket.

How to behave at the Carnival

Venice Carnival- the event, I will not say “crowded”, I will say: very “crowded”. It seems that the city, especially in the center, is becoming rubber. And even thoughts come that the gradual immersion of Venice into the waters of the Adriatic is connected precisely with the huge number of people on its streets and embankments. In fact,it's not that scary.

It is important to know exactly your program, to go out well in advance of the event, to try to bypass the paths beaten by tourists, to be as natural and friendly as possible.

As for safety, in any season, at any time of the day or nightVenice was and remains a very safe city.. Incidents and crimes do not play into the hands of the authorities and citizens at all. Reinforced detachments of police and carabinieri keep order. Certainly,no one is safe from theft in the crowd, but they think so in any Italian city, so they carry bags over their shoulders, keep their hands in their pockets, and take only what they need with them. Well, your own attention should be on top.

What and where to eat

There are no problems with food during the carnival: restaurants, cafes and bars are working in an enhanced mode, offering guests quitelarge selection of dishes. You will find many stalls with Venetian sweets and pastries on the streets of the city. In general, on food issues, I wrote in some detail in the article. , only prices can change towards some increase, but not everywhere and not always. This needs to be dealt with locally. I will only add that during the days of the carnivalit is customary to treat yourself to frittolle, Venetian donuts, andGalani, very similar to our Brushwood.

In a word, if you are ready to spend a certain amount for the opportunity to find yourself in an amazing place where epochs and characters mix, where unbridled fun awaits you around every corner, where you will get impressions for more than one day of stories, then make up your mind and go ahead - onVenice Carnival! Have a good trip.

Sometimes you really want to remain unrecognized, hide your face under a mask, discard all prejudices and be subjected to emotions. Venice Carnival, which takes place annually in , gives us such an opportunity. A grandiose enchanting action turns into a kind of theatrical production in which everyone plays their role. Every year half a million tourists come here in search of freedom, drive and magic. Two weeks of a real fairy tale, a lot of pleasant impressions and priceless memories.

From the history of the Venice Carnival

An integral part of the famous city on the water - Venice Carnival. Its history goes back to antiquity and originates from the famous ancient Roman Saturnalia, pagan holidays, which took place annually on the days of the winter solstice in honor of the harvest. These days everyone was walking and having fun. Any prohibitions and prejudices were removed, even slaves had fun on an equal footing with their masters. And in order to feel comfortable and remain incognito, people put on masks. The Venetians also began to use this long tradition, giving it a special sophistication.

With the spread of Christianity, the priests timed carnival in Venice for the winter fast before Easter. In 1094, Doge Vitale Faliero entered the name "Carnival of Venice" in official documents, and from 1296 the holiday became public.

The most famous carnival in Europe acquired in the XVIII century. Then during the carnival, almost everything was allowed. In the whirlpool of celebration, forbidden displays of passion and petty inaccuracies became available. The rich in excitement spent crazy money in gambling houses, some married couples unashamedly cheated on their husbands and wives. Counts became jesters, servants became kings, kings became paupers, and well-mannered and polite princesses became seductive courtesans. Everything was easy and simple, because the face was covered with a mask. Almost everyone wore them during the carnival, even in churches and at home. However, such frank celebrations did not last long. At the end of the century, in 1797, after the capture of Italy by French troops, Napoleon canceled the Venice Carnival. It was revived not so long ago, only in 1980.

Modernity

Currently carnival in Venice is thematic. Ten years ago, it was dedicated to Fellini, and the carnival "Journeys and Travelers", "The East and its Culture", etc. was also held. In 2014, the theme of the carnival was - " Magic world nature”, the celebration took place from February 15 to March 4, 2014.

Celebration of the Venice Festival in St. Mark's Square.

Among the entertainment: parades, musical and theatrical performances, performances of comedies dell'arte, competitions, balls, performances by the best creative teams in Italy, magicians, jugglers, mimes, clowns and acrobats, tournaments, old games and, of course, bright fireworks.

By tradition, the carnival begins with the ancient festival "Festa delle Marie", timed to coincide with the release of Venetian girls kidnapped by Istrian pirates. On the first day, a theatrical masquerade procession takes place, which starts from the San Pietro Palace and passes throughout the city. At noon, an angel descends from the bell tower of San Marco in the form of beautiful girl in a snow-white dress (according to tradition), then the carnival is considered open.

On February 16, a boat procession takes place along the Grand Canal, and near the church of San Giacomo dell "Orio, representatives of Italian companies treat everyone with traditional Venetian sweets and drinks.

They celebrate in Venice not only in the squares and streets of the city, but also in luxurious palazzos, where royal carnival balls are held. Similar celebrations are also held at Palazzo Pisani Moretta and Casino of Venice, however, to get inside, you must definitely put on a suit, mask and take care of the invitation in advance.

Venetian masks and costumes

Masks have always been and remain the main attribute of the Venice Carnival. However, this is not just an accessory that covers the face, but a whole work of art. Venetian masks are distinguished by great sophistication and craftsmanship. The secrets of their manufacture were passed down from generation to generation, preserving the main traditions and absorbing the trends of the present.
At first, masks were made from leather, fabric, or using the original papier-mâché technique. Today they continue to be made by hand, decorated with jewelry, rhinestones, feathers, jewelry, silver and gold.
In the late Middle Ages in Venice, masks gained such popularity that they were also worn on weekdays, often used during the commission of crimes. This prompted the Church to issue a ban on wearing masks. It was allowed to wear them only during the celebration.

Traditional men's suit for carnival there was a black wide cloak (tabarro) combined with a silk cape (bauta), a three-cornered hat (tricorno) and a white mask.

Since the 18th century, thanks to the great popularity of the holiday in Europe and the exploits of the famous adventurer-tempter Giacomo Casanova, the costumes for the carnival have become more diverse and brighter.

Subsequently, the masks began to reflect the images of the main characters of the Italian comedy - Pantalone, Pierrot, Columbine and Harlequin. Today, the choice of masks is simply amazing. Connoisseurs highlight main types of venetian carnival masks.

Baut mask(Italian bauta) - white mask, covering the entire face, with cutouts for the eyes, a clear protrusion for the nose and superciliary arches, without an opening for the mouth. Its lower part is slightly protruding so that a person can eat and drink without revealing his face.

Morret mask(Italian Moretta) has an oval shape that completely covers the face. Often it is made of black velvet, with holes for the eyes, but no cutouts for the lips. The mask was relevant among women. It was worn during the carnival and on secret dates.

Larva(Italian Larva) - the most common oval-shaped mask for the whole face, mostly white, may have a small opening for the mouth.

"Plague Doctor"(Medico della pesto, Italian. Medico Della Peste) - one of the most famous and most terrible masks, with a long curved nose, like a beak. It was invented by the French doctor Charles de Lorme to protect against bacteria. During the plague period, such a mask was worn by doctors when visiting patients. Disinfecting salts and plants that secrete aromatic oils: rosemary, garlic, juniper, etc., were placed in the long nose, which were supposed to protect against infection with the disease.

Gatto mask(Gatto) - a mask in the form of a cat, covers the face towards the middle.

Does not completely cover the face, leaving the lips open. Often decorated with gold, silver, crystal and feathers. At first, the mask was part of the image of the actress Colombina in the commedia dell'arte. According to legend, the woman was so beautiful that she did not want to hide her whole face, so this mask was created just for her. Subsequently, it became very popular because it was comfortable to eat and kiss in it.