Carnival in Venice is one of the most anticipated events of the year both for the inhabitants of this ancient city and for tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world. During the celebration, the serene and brightest Venice gets rid of any duties and prejudices, turning into one of the freest (in all respects) places on earth. But this celebration has its own history and traditions, which we will talk about in this publication.

History of the Venice Carnival

The history of carnivals in Venice is rooted in the distant past - during the time of the Romans. Having harvested, the Romans during the winter solstice arranged magnificent annual holidays, honoring the god Saturn (another name for the carnival is Saturnalia). Fun festivities were held throughout the city, and their difference from other holidays was that both masters and their slaves could be at the same table that day. So that "class" prejudices do not spoil the celebration, all its participants hid their faces under various masks.

The first official mention of holding celebrations in Venice dates back to the 11th century, and from the 13th century they become public domain. The Senate of the Venetian Republic allowed mass festivities to be held on the last day before the start of Lent.

In subsequent years, the carnival in Venice, which was not fixed in date (celebrations could begin in October, reaching its peak on the eve of Lent), gained incredible scope. The last week of the carnival became its main and brightest part. These days there were absolutely no rules and prohibitions, seduction, abduction, seduction and intrigue were allowed. Everyone around was wearing masks and unusual costumes, the spouses did not recognize their halves, dates were made almost every minute, and fun and dancing continued around the clock.

End of the 18th century for a long time was the end for the carnival - Emperor Napoleon issued a decree banning it. For more than two hundred years, fun and masks in Venice were not mentioned, and only since 1980 did the costume festival get its second wind.

Traditions of the Venice Carnival

Annual celebration in Venice - it's 10 days of all-consuming fun, which allow residents of the city and travelers from all over the world to come off "to the fullest" before the start of Lent. The time of the celebration, as a rule, falls on February.

Grand opening of the carnival falls on Sunday, but since Saturday, a huge number of tourists have been wandering the streets of the city. Begins solemn event from the Festa delle Marie, dedicated to the release of Venetian girls kidnapped by pirates. And then the carnival spreads to St. Mark's Square and other squares, where concerts, performances, performances and masquerade balls are held. After the renewal of the tradition, the carnival is made thematic, dedicating it either to prominent people, or to the cultures of other peoples, or to travel to other countries.

At the end of the last century, the carnival in Venice even got its own anthem, which was created with the participation of the world-famous couturier Pierre Cardin.

Preparing for the main celebration in hometown, the inhabitants of Venice carefully and for a long time choose their costumes. On the holiday, you can transform into anyone, so individual outfits are real works of art. Tourists do not always have the opportunity to prepare for the carnival with the same care and bring their costume with them, but this is not a problem. On the eve of the celebration, traditional costumes, masks and attributes are freely sold at every corner. They are made from fur, brocade or velvet. True, the costumes are very expensive, but participation in the carnival program as a mask is worth it.

It is also necessary to know that real Venetian masks are creations self made, which are made from papier-mâché and sold only in stores. Numerous masks of various colors on outdoor racks and folding tables are the products of Chinese manufacturers.

A classic Venetian costume is a white mask, complemented by a black wide cloak, a silk cape, a three-cornered hat and gloves. It is also necessary to remember that when the carnival in Venice is gaining momentum, costumes and masks should be worn according to the rules. That is, wearing a carnival costume and a mask, you can’t speak any language, you can speak only with the help of gestures.

If there is no opportunity to purchase a costume and a mask, do not be upset. For ordinary spectators and guests of the city, there are a huge number of other festivities where you can take your soul and please the eye. In addition, without a mask, you can safely drink wine and enjoy carnival fritelli donuts. You definitely won't enjoy them in a suit.

The Venice Mask Carnival is a very popular holiday, so you need to take care of booking a hotel room long before it takes place, otherwise there may simply not be any. It is better to book accommodation not in Venice itself, but near it - this way you can save a lot.

During the carnival, it is advisable to purchase a ticket for public transport in Venice, then getting to the city and its main attractions (squares, museums and the Doge's Palace) will be much cheaper.

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 has been attracting attention for several centuries in a row and gathers tens of thousands of people every year for its festive events.

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.

Article navigation:

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.

Read also:

Costume and mask

One more 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 instance, 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 plunges into the ancient atmosphere of an unrestrained national holiday, where passions seethe 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.

Yearly carnival has a specific theme, 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 Doge 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 ready for guests on the streets, which are sold and served from open stalls, in a multitude 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. Actually,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.

sp-force-hide ( display: none;).sp-form ( display: block; background: #d9edf7; padding: 15px; width: 100%; max-width: 100%; border-radius: 0px; -moz- border-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: center; background-size: auto; ).sp-form input ( display: inline-block; opacity: 1; visibility: visible;).sp-form .sp-form-fields-wrapper ( margin: 0 auto; width: 470px;).sp-form . sp-form-control ( background: #ffffff; border-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 1); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; font-size: 15px; padding-left: 8.75px ; padding-right: 8.75px; border-radius: 19px; -moz-border-radius: 19px; -webkit-border-radius: 19px; height: 35px; width: 100%;).sp-form .sp-field label ( color: #31708f; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;).sp-form .sp-button ( border-radius: 17px; -moz-border-radius: 17px; -webkit-border-radius: 17px; background-color: #31708f; color: #ffffff; w idth: auto; font-weight: 700 font-style: normal font-family: Arial, sans-serif; box-shadow: none -moz-box-shadow: none; -webkit-box-shadow: none;).sp-form .sp-button-container ( text-align: left;)

29.05.2014

Italy. Venice Carnival - luxurious, enchanting, mysterious

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 old 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 with the help of original technology papier mache. 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) - a white mask that covers the entire face, with cutouts for the eyes, a clear protrusion for the nose and superciliary arches, without an opening for the mouth. Her Bottom part 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 mask oval shape all over the face, mostly white color, 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.

The dream of visiting the carnival in Venice took shape in the head of the author of these lines not in childhood and not during the first visit to the city. This is rather strange, because the Most Serene Lady Venice became my main love among the cities of the world, not only at first sight, but even in absentia, long before the first date. But for some reason, the Carnival did not beckon and did not feverish my imagination until one day fate brought me together in a casual conversation with two female tourists from Macedonia. Having heard that such an ardent admirer of Venice had never been to the Carnival, the ladies began vying with each other to convince me to drop everything and fly to the shores of the Adriatic sometime in February, they promised to plunge into the atmosphere of an ongoing fairy tale. I assumed that all this is insanely expensive and that the basis of the experience is various expensive shows under the roofs, and free street performances are accompanied by crowds where you still can’t see anything. But the interlocutors explained that in these two carnival weeks it is not so important to catch interesting events how much it is just to walk the streets with other tourists and feel like a part of a festive kaleidoscope. It was then that the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bfix for a long time stuck in me ...

Now I can safely confirm that for the most part our bras ... are to blame, the Slavic sisters were right. Yes, indeed, the Carnival in Venice is, first of all, people in colorful costumes and masks, a sea of ​​​​smiles and colors, a solid theatrical scenery, a feeling of unreality and a mixture of centuries - even thicker than usual.

A small historical excursion

These carnivals are almost a thousand years old. It traditionally takes place in February, sometimes partially touching neighboring months. And it was on those days when my girlfriend and I were walking in masks along Piazza San Marco that our friends and relatives in Russia ate Pancake Day pancakes.

Coincidence? I don't think so, as they say.

The fact is that both gluttony holidays and merry masquerade days for a long time were usually arranged at the end before Great Lent, so that the people in every sense would work up for the future and, having let off steam, endure further hardships more easily. Hence the close dates.

Origin, name

The term "carnival" itself came from the Venetian spree. The word comes, apparently, from the Latin-Italian roots carne (meat) and vale (goodbye). True, in the 19th century they came up with a decoding for carrus navalis (sea wagon), and some researchers remembered the Navigium Isidis holiday, celebrated in March. But these options seem far-fetched to me. Navigium Isidis is a celebration Egyptian the goddess Isis: of course, Egypt, like the entire Mediterranean, then belonged to the Roman Empire, but it is very far from Venice both territorially and culturally.

Egyptian goddess Isis

And the cart as the main attribute is also strange, because in the Middle Ages carnivals were simpler, more spontaneous - people just dressed up in masks and had fun, there was no smell of organized processions.

But in the case of the "meat" explanation, everything is clear, simple and logical to the point of insanity.

But if we dig even deeper, we will indeed find the origins in ancient history. The church leadership, in an insidious manner, adjusted the already existing folk traditions to suit their goals. This often happened in Christianity, and in general history is teeming with such precedents. Let us recall how in the Soviet Union, after the cancellation of Christmas, they eventually introduced the celebration of the New Year with almost the same paraphernalia (tree and kind grandfather), but not with religious, but with fairy-tale overtones. Or, as our contemporaries already came up with the holiday of the militia of Minin and Pozharsky in order to fill the vacated niche after the cancellation of the celebration of the anniversary of October.

"From Romulus to the present day"

Many carnival traditions actually have their origins in Ancient Rome. There was such a holiday - saturnalia - a day when a slave could briefly try on the role of a master, they ridiculed the townspeople who were inviolable on ordinary days, they elected the king of jesters, much turned upside down. Saturnalia took place in December, they are considered rather the ancestor of Christmas.

But modern Carnivals (not only Venetian, but many others, for example, the famous Brazilian in) also inherited a lot of paraphernalia from him. First of all, of course, we are talking about such a tradition as allowing passers-by, regardless of status and position, to put on masks and anonymously do all sorts of funny outrages that were banned or publicly condemned on ordinary days.

However, the Carnival in Venice was originally held without masks. Costumed festivities became a tradition only in the XIII-XIV centuries, when the Catholic Church legalized the Carnival itself as official holiday festivities before fasting.

Since then, the mask has become a real symbol of the city, competing in popularity with the gondola, and mummers began to walk the streets almost six months before the start of Lent, since August. Hidden faces and facilitated unseemly activities - and crimes, and, of course, love affairs - where without them in the city of Giacomo Casanova and Veronica Franco?

And the well-known Italian comedy of masks with Harlequin, Colombina and other Piero-Pantalone was born on the bridges of Venice.

A little over two hundred years ago, the tradition ended abruptly and abruptly - de facto at the request of a single person. When Napoleon, entering the city, ended the long existence of the Venetian Republic, he decided to abolish the carnival, which for some reason he did not like. I think he had reason to fear riots and wanted to avoid unknown masked conspirators and convenient pretexts for rebellion in the festive hype. But in the end, the world lost its famous annual performances for a long time.

But what about today?

And we wouldn’t have been with our beloved woman in this beautiful fairy tale, if it weren’t for the initiative of the Italian authorities, who figured out to resume the Carnivals - they realized that this not only supports the ancient glorious traditions, but also organizes a rather profitable undertaking. Everything connected with Venice has existed for many decades solely due to its popularity among tourists. And so, in 1979, Carnivals solemnly returned to the city of bridges and canals.

By the way, not without the active support of director Federico Fellini, who is endlessly in love with his native Italy and also understands something in parades.

Since 1996 Carnival has had its own anthem. It was written not by anyone, but also by a very famous person - known, however, not for musical or poetic talents, but having a direct bearing on the costume issue - Pierre Cardin.

Already in the process of preparing this text, I learned that the most active participant in the Carnival is invariably the famous Russian artist Mikhail Shemyakin, a big fan of the event. For many years, according to his sketches, costumes were sewn for participants from different countries, and later he also performed the functions of a Carnival photographer.

When is the Venice Carnival

Let's start from the end. Carnival always ends on Tuesday. Or rather - on "Fat Tuesday" (this is the one that Mardi Gras). Historically, Carnival is a "dump" before Lent, and the first day of the Catholic Lent is always called "Ash Wednesday". That is, in the end, the exact timing of the Carnival directly depends on what date it will be this year. Catholic Easter, from where it should be counted.

In 2017 The carnival took place from 11 to 28 February.
In 2018 passes from January 27 to February 13.

You don’t need to calculate yourself, of course, there is Google and mass media. In details, up-to-date information (program of events, topics) can be found on the following resources:

What happens during Carnival

Of course, an extensive and pre-planned program of various Carnival shows is always prepared.

Required Program (free events open air):

• The opening ceremony;
• Festa delle Marie;
• Flying various figures over squares;
  (a person in the form of one or another animal flies on a cable over the guests of the Carnival);
• Competition for the best mask (best suit);
• Closing ceremony.

The rest, to my knowledge, may vary from year to year.

Every year for the Carnival, a certain topic. In 2016, the theme was "The most delicious holiday in the world!", in 2017 - Creatum - about arts and traditions. The topic can be found in advance on one of the sites dedicated to the Carnival.

The opening ceremony

The main solemn parade in the first days, as it is logical to expect, in Venice passes not along the streets and squares, but along the canals (Canaregio, Grande). Instead of wagons, there are decorated gondolas, amazing evening lighting and music. Processions take place at predetermined hours and are repeated more than once, accompanied by secondary shows: performances by various artists, distribution of carnival sweets at the end of the action ...

There are other parades, simpler ones, that take place on the streets on other days, but this usually takes place on the mainland of Venice, where there is more space. So if you spend the night not in the lagoon, but in Marghera or Mestre, then monitor in advance - perhaps something interesting will take place very close from your location.

Festa delle Marie

The opening of the Carnival since ancient times was accompanied by a staging of the rescue of young Venetians from the clutches of pirates from the Istrian peninsula, which, according to legend, happened even before the appearance of the Carnival itself, in the 1st millennium. This oldest festive ceremony in Venice is called the Festa delle Marie (Marie's feast). Now it can take place later - in 2017, 12 beautiful Venetians were waiting for their release a week after the official opening.

During the Carnival, the best of the girls is chosen. Traditionally, next year the winning "Maria" plays the role of the Angel for one of the key flights over Venice.

Flights of figures over the squares

About flights. V recent history Carnivals are constantly flying over the crowd of Venetians ... I would like to say, magical creatures and magical objects, but let's be more prosaic and mundane (after all, the figures themselves are waiting for the landing): these are people on cables in symbolic costumes and banners. The main flight is the descent of the Angel from the top of the bell tower of San Marco to the stones of the square.

During the closing of the Carnival, the Golden Lion flag proudly flies over the guests of the city; on other days, mock flights of a donkey and an eagle can take place. These entertainers Venetians can come up with a lot more, study the program in advance.

Most of the "animals" also fly over San Marco, on weekends at noon, with the very accumulation of onlookers. But, as in the case of parades, options are possible. Secondary flights may take place in the evening hours or not in central Venice, but on the mainland.

best mask competition

For several days in the center of San Marco, on a raised podium, within the framework of Il Concorso della Maschera più bella with a selection of the best carnival costumes.

Of course, many people want to show and / or see something with a local flavor and, having arrived in Venice, feel like in Venice, and not in Disneyland. But, on the other hand, we still live in an age of globalization and diversity. A few days later, the same dish becomes boring, tourists begin to tire of ladies in skirts of two meters in diameter and gentlemen in powdered wigs. Therefore, here the traditional magnificent robes of the Renaissance are side by side with "universal" costumes of various themes, and some Papuan or dragon walks next to Casanova (see below in the "Who can you meet here" section).

Accordingly, there are two nominations: for effectiveness ( « The most beautiful carnival costume ") and for authenticity ( « The best Carnival-themed costume")

Outrageous entertainer. Greetings from Conchita Wurst from neighboring Austria

The selections are held in several stages, in several days, the participants not only defile, but also show dance numbers. It doesn't have to be a traditional ballroom ceremony. Costumes corresponding to other countries and eras also have different numbers. We saw a group of national Thai masks. The dances that they performed added variety to the "second part of the Marlezon ballet" and caused a noticeable animation in the crowd of spectators.

Private events

Pass throughout the entire period in the halls of different palaces. The list and schedule change from year to year. For the most part, these are musical and dance evenings and competitions: the Casanova Ball, the Evening with the Doge, the St. Valentine's Ball (if February 14 fell on the Carnival days, it would be a sin not to take advantage of the coincidence). If you decide to visit one of these events, pay attention to the dress code! In any case, without a suit and a mask, they will definitely not let you in. And the entrance to such closed events is most often not free.

Closing ceremony

Closing takes place on the evening of "Fat Tuesday". It is accompanied by another flight - "Lion".

Flag "Golden Lion" - a symbol of Venice

On the same day or one of the previous ones, the results of the competitions are solemnly summed up - the best costume is chosen from the finalists, "Maria" is selected for next year, the most impressive processions and parades of winners take place.

Masks and costumes

The historically famous Italian Comedia del Arte was once born here, in Venice, thanks to the same carnival traditions. The heroes of medieval folk performances and plays by Gozzi and Goldoni are still alive today, although for me, modern masks remind of them more than costumes.

Triangular "rays" in all directions above the head in a "Harlequin" type mask, wrinkles in a "Pulcinella" type mask... A mysterious Venetian mask with a long nose fascinates. For a long time I did not know what it was, why and with what it was eaten. And this is also a typical Comedy mask - Doctor. Such noses were worn by plague doctors. This is not the beak of a bird of prey (although there is a hypothesis where again in a strange way they attract Ancient Egypt: they say that in the Middle Ages they tried to scare away the disease, returning to the cult of Egyptian deities with bird heads). But neither religion nor aesthetics have anything to do with it, the explanation is strictly functional. A bunch of useful herbs were placed in this outgrowth and holes were made in it for ventilation, so that the doctor would not sniff the plague poisons, and those around him would not breathe the fumes of garlic (the doctor constantly chewed garlic for an antidote). The unusualness of this mask compared to others, I think, has ensured its popularity today.

In a well-thought-out costume, the mask is its integral inseparable part. But the majority of tourists have a separate mask with a closed mouth or a half mask.

Most often they are held on a tape or rubber band.

You can also "attach" the option on a stick, although it seems tedious to carry such a contraption in my hand all the time.

The simplest option- a white mask (“Bauta”) for the whole face with a black cloak can be purchased for almost a penny (5 EUR mask + 10 EUR cloak) right in Venice in almost any quarter of the city.

What are they made of

From papier-mâché or leather. If this is not the simplest monophonic “muzzle” purely for show, then, of course, some decorations are needed: feathers, beads, braid, ribbons, unusual objects (for example, playing cards), all this is colorful and motley (but tastefully, of course so that there is harmony).

DIY

Many tourists buy plain masks right on the spot. Real carnival participants prepare costumes in advance. It is believed that real fans begin to invent a costume for the next Venice Carnival immediately after the end of the previous one. This is especially true, of course, for those who threaten to participate in the mask competition.

To make a mask, you can buy a ready-made base, you can mess with lots and lots of newspapers with glue applied to hold the shape of your face.

Next, the external design according to the sketches (or as you think of it yourself, everything is in your creative hands): we apply acrylic paints, we paste feathers, sequins, rhinestones, beads - in general, to taste and, accordingly, to the general idea. It can be monotonous, but instead of feathers - something unusual. For example, gears.

A completely natural thing for a tourist during the days of Carnival is to approach a person in a suit and take a photo or video with him for free.

After all, this is also most often an ordinary visiting tourist, simply better prepared for the event.

At our house on Nevsky Prospekt in summer days“Peter I” or “Elizaveta” are also walking, but these are professionals working on their program, but here the situation is completely different.

About our experience with Anya using our own masks -.

Who can you meet here?

Yes, anyone! "Harlequins and pirates, circus performers and acrobats, and a villain whose appearance inspires fear..."

The bulk of the costumes and masks are traditional, fact. A lot in the style of the past: doji, merchants, rich ladies who were brought here by a time machine after several centuries. As for the Commedia del Arte, my friend and I periodically came across these individual characters, although today the abstract costumes of anonymous Venetians of previous eras seem to be more popular, and Colombina and Truffaldino are less common.

There are also enough global celebrities: it is easy to find Dracula, Disney characters and the Harry Potter universe, or simply abstract costumes of various animals and magical creatures here. In the midst of the carnival frenzy - on the last Saturday evening - returning from the islands of the Venetian lagoon to our campsite on the shore, we literally landed in a hellish bus. He deserved such a characterization from me not for being overstuffed (we are from Russia ourselves!), but thanks to a group of passengers - aged women in costumes ... devils! Aunts and grandmothers with false horns and in characteristic fiery dresses had a great time, briskly chattered about something of their own, jokingly threatened fellow travelers with unpretentious plastic tridents. Looking at this dashing disgrace, one could not believe that some 2-3 generations ago Italy was a formidable harsh religious stronghold, where even divorces were prohibited by law.

This smoothly brings us to the story of what costumes we saw at Carnival 2017 and what we prepared ourselves.

Personal impressions. How we spent Carnival 2017

Walk, walk and walk again! It was under this motto that all our days passed. Every second passer-by in a mask and countless people in the most complicated costumes, people-people, paints-paints, and in the evening all this is in fires-fires.

The main movement is on San Marco. There are a lot of tourists on weekdays, but in a divine way, no more than in the summer seasons. But on Saturday and Sunday hell was going on there. In the afternoon, when various events took place, I recalled concerts on Krasnaya or Dvortsovaya: the square was fenced for half a kilometer along all the surrounding streets with a queue and metal detectors at the entrance, I am silent about the number of people. But even in the evening, the abundance and diversity of the crowds walking along the embankment were comparable to post-football flows.

Monday, by the way, also reminded more of a day off than a weekday - even in such a remote corner as you can get into rush hour.

Therefore, if you look without reference to the events of the carnival program, I advise you to walk during the period Tuesday-Thursday, it is better to look at the central square early in the morning (8-11 hours), and then wander somewhere in the vicinity or on the other side.

Question of costumes and masks

We decided to glue the masks at home ourselves, assuming that buying on the spot in Venice would be insanely expensive.

In fact, it turned out that for 5-8 EUR masks are sold at every step (and at home, if you put all the details together, it took several times more to make). These are typical masks, the most banal and simple. There are real masterpieces, but they, of course, will really be more expensive.

If you are too lazy to bother and don’t want to go without a mask, you can buy it right in Venice almost everywhere - in any quarter of the standard tourist route from Piazzale Roma to San Marco. There are masks for every taste and wallet - you yourself choose according to the price / quality / unusual ratio.

I think we did not lose by choosing the option with our own creativity. Thanks to Anya's hardworking hands! Having found a base for a mask in some creative shop, she applied paint and glued beads in a couple of evenings, she didn’t even bother with feathers. In total, we have simple, but completely finished home-made costumes of the Sun and the Moon. Our masks, at a low overall cost, turned out to be unique in the end, and they periodically approached us to take pictures with us, as with real regulars. And this despite the fact that we didn’t make costumes, we just picked up a relatively smart-civilian jacket and dress, plus wigs lying around from some ancient childhood.

Already on the second day, I decided not to take off the mask steadfastly from morning to evening, although it was itchy and cold in places. But the inner feeling of belonging to a unique festival and something fabulous was more important and outweighed any discomfort.

If you want to feel like an individual at this festival of colors, and at the same time do not experience problems with curvature, then try to make a mask yourself in advance, you will not regret it!

Weather

The weather was not always pleasing, sometimes it was quite cold, although this cannot be compared with the February climate of our latitudes. The sun really came out from behind the clouds only on the last day, and before that I had to put on a jacket over a jacket and dress. The gray sky sometimes surprisingly resembled the eternal Petersburg "twilight". But the air was softer, the temperature was noticeably higher, and thanks to the dense buildings in the lanes it seemed even warmer. Still, this is not a trip to the sea, but in February a pleasant change after the Russian winter-winter.

If suddenly one of you decides to go to the Venice Carnival not just like that, but with a carefully thought-out costume in the theme, then most likely you will not be cold.

It seems to me that not only most of the seniors and seniors of the Renaissance around us in heavy triple layers of fabrics, but also ordinary Supermen and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles did not freeze at all, but were even worn out these days.

Eagle flying over Piazza San Marco

"Eagle" flew, as they say, at prime time - at noon on the last Sunday of these two weeks. They were allowed into the square 2 hours before the start of the ceremony. It is reasonable. An hour before the start is also possible. But later it is already unrealistic to get to the places near the bell tower and the podium, it makes no sense to run up at 11:45 - you will not see anything.

The flight itself, frankly, disappointed: I expected a spectacular wingspan of several meters, and in fact a girl in a patchwork “feathers” suit descended more in the pose of a canary in a cage than in the pose of a soaring eagle.

While we were standing, we didn’t get bored - before that, the next tour in the costume show was just going on.

Broadcast of the ball on the big screen for those who cannot see

But they were very tired (there was nowhere to sit) and froze. And the most unpleasant thing was to crawl out of the square later. Here, all the concert and sporting events that I have ever seen are already nervously smoking in the corner: in this crush of several hundred meters, we walked for 40 minutes.

Therefore, I will say this: in order to once again feel the pathos of the festival, once it is appropriate. But too many such spectacles are tiresome. An amateur, of course, but I like the costumes on the catwalk and the workshops on the square more than such flights. And simple festivities along the streets in terms of atmosphere are much more popular and carnival than all this combined. But that's just my personal impression.

Workshops

Since in 2017 the theme of the Carnival was Creatum - "Art", here, on San Marco, a wooden stage was built.

Every day you could see craft workshops with a display of products and master classes.

One compartment was devoted to sculptures, the other was a shoe room...

And how can one do without a mask workshop, where they showed the painstaking process of creating Carnival masterpieces, and anyone could join any stage of making a mask.

More impressions

What we just did not see there. In addition to old devils, in addition to the ball on the stage of the central square, flights and processions of masks, we saw ... a skating rink! On Piazza San Polo in the district of the same name, a skating rink was installed for several days for everyone with quite affordable prices (about 5-10 EUR per hour for adults). Opened to all comers at 12 o'clock.

Another time, we came across street musicians without any costumes, who played various incredible musical instruments (some of the drum kit was made on the basis of the most ordinary pots, only, of course, brightly decorated). In the repertoire there was something very similar to Katyusha, Amur Waves, Me and My Masha at the Samovar, and a number of equally familiar melodies, but when I asked if there were participants with Russian roots among them, the soloist told me never confessed.

Staged adventure

With our characteristic maximalism and the desire to have time to sit on several chairs at the same time, we initially decided to go not only for the sake of impressions from the Carnival itself, but at the same time manage to shoot for ourselves something like an amateur movie with a plot these days (although we have very little experience in such matters). ). When else will it be possible to catch so many people in authentic costumes on the medieval streets?

And yet, the idea at first seemed extravagant, because it is obvious that mixed with a courtesan or an inquisitor, some kind of Spiderman, a motor boat on the canal and just a man in a modern jacket will definitely get into the frame.

Why did I decide to talk about this in an article for a guidebook? I want to visually show the atmosphere of creative and at the same time infinitely friendly carnival madness. The fact is that only here such an idea could be born and realized (many of the recordings we ended up really liking!), and most importantly - strangers on the streets from various countries themselves are happy to participate in the process.

After all, at this time and in this place, it is theatricality that is the most natural and familiar thing, and people suffer with heavy costumes precisely for the sake of attention to them. One married couple of the eighteenth century agreed to pass me by and greet me decorously with a bow, two more girls consoled me in trouble in search of my lady in red, and in the harbor a certain nobleman waved his cane at me.

How to save

When acquaintances found out that tickets + accommodation for several days of the Carnival in Venice cost us about 30 thousand for two in terms of their native currency, their jaws dropped with envy. “Wow, but I was glad that a ticket home to Irkutsk for 17 is very cheap!” exclaimed a colleague of a friend at work.

We always plan trips ourselves. In our age, when the Internet is at hand, and all services in the industry of long-distance transport and accommodation can be paid online ahead of time and give a bunch of different discounts, it is much more profitable not to be lazy and study these issues on your own than to contact travel agencies that will, in fact, the same, only they will take an extra charge. At first it will be difficult, it will take a lot of time, and mistakes with non-optimal decisions are inevitable, but with each new journey the skill will be pumped more and more, and you will find more and more successful and suitable options for yourself, already knowing where and what rake you should not step on .

We planned this Venice trip just a month before the Carnival itself, already in mid-January, we came up with everything literally in one evening, building it from two economy air tickets Vilnius-Bergamo and Bergamo-Riga (I had to grit my teeth hard with my aerophobia, dreams for nothing are not given). Then it was a matter of technology to find buses suitable for them by day, connecting St. Petersburg with the Baltic States, and in Italy - trains (through this site). For accommodation in Venice, we also have a permanent budget place on the territory of the continental part (camping). The subtleties of choosing housing in Venice.

The main thing is that all this is bought in advance and mostly on irrevocable offers (yes, this is a risk, but the dream is worth it).

The place is also not without secrets. If you eat a lot in a cafe and buy a lot of souvenirs, then, of course, you won’t go broke for long. Prices sometimes bite, the average Venetian price tag looks like. But there are various tricks from the series - do not drink coffee while sitting at a table, but go to the tray, immediately buy a multi-day travel card, and so on ... However, this is already a conversation for a separate article.

Have something to add?

Venice Carnival has its roots in the distant pagan past. The word “carnival” itself comes from the Latin carrus navalis (which means “amusing chariot”, “ship of festive processions”) - this was the name in ancient times of the ritual wagon-ship, on which idols were carried during holidays in Europe back in the distant Bronze Age fertility. Others argue that the word "carnival" means - "carnis laxatio" or "carnasciale" (translated as "farewell, meat!") - the rejection of meat, a religious fast before Easter. In a desire to adapt pre-Christian customs to the new faith, the church used the ancient feast to prepare Christians for the longest fast of the year, Great Lent before Easter. In 1296, the Senate of the Venetian Republic declared the last day before Lent to be forever festive.

It is worth noting that the ancient Roman Saturnalia became the progenitor of modern carnivals. On the days dedicated to Saturn, the god of harvest and fertility, the Romans held feasts in order to resurrect the golden age of universal equality and prosperity. The gulf between the master and the slave disappeared during the holiday - the slaves reveled at the same table with the nobles, and the free citizens brought them wine. We believe that this is where they originate. Venetian Carnival masks : so that secular prejudices did not interfere with fun, everyone hid their faces under masks. The mask and carnival costume hid the true appearance of the owner, allowing him to do whatever he wanted, regardless of titles and ranks, and most importantly, not to think at all about the consequences. For the days of revelry, a false king was elected, who at the end of the Saturnalia either had to commit suicide or died from a knife, fire or noose. (tough manners)

Venice carnivals gradually spread throughout the world. The main attributes of any carnival were costumes and masks, designed to hide social differences and equalize everyone for the duration of the festival. At home Venetian masks gained such popularity that they began to be worn constantly. It is worth noting that almost all the townspeople would prefer to hide their faces even without any carnival. Venice is a relatively small city, and it is not necessary for the neighbors to know where you went in the evening or what house you crawled out of in the morning. There were cases when they hid under Venetian masks to commit criminal acts. This state of affairs led the church to restrict the use of Venetian masks. This led to the fact that in 1608 a law was passed in Venice, which stated that men for wearing Venetian masks on an ordinary day were sentenced to two years in prison and a fine, and women were publicly flogged in the square with rods.

When asked when exactly the first Venetian carnival took place, there are also many versions. The earliest version dates back to the 11th century. In 1094, the Venetian Republic received, under an agreement with Byzantium, houses in Constantinople and additional privileges in taxation, which gave it huge advantages for Mediterranean trade. The celebration of this event may have been the first Venetian carnival. According to another version, first venetian carnival was held as early as 998, when the young inhabitants of Venice returned their brides, kidnapped by pirates. The third version says that the first Venetian carnival took place only in 1162, in honor of the celebration of the victory of the Venetian Republic in the war against Patriarch Ulrico. The townspeople poured out in a noisy crowd into St. Mark's Square, where they indulged in a feast and fun. One thing is known for sure, that already in the XIII century, the last day before the start of Lent was declared a day of celebrations and folk festivals. Two centuries later, a fund was set up in Venice to raise funds for the annual Venice Carnival, which by that time had become an integral part of the life of Venice. The whole city flocked during the holidays to Piazza San Marco participate in the general Sabantuy and take a look at the performance.

First, fighting dogs fought with bulls, and then acrobats, jesters and dancers ran out onto the blood-drenched square, and magnificent fireworks completed the performance. Over time Venetian masks, which initially copied the pagan gods of fertility, began to change, displaying major events life of the townspeople, and during the Venetian carnivals, the loudest achievements of the Venetians were celebrated. Thus, the theme for many subsequent Venetian carnivals was given by the great victory of the Republic of Venice in the battle with the Turks in 1571. The echo of that feast has survived to this day, because even now a magnificent turban or bright wide trousers will surely flash in the carnival crowd on San Marco. In the 18th century, the main characters Venetian carnival the heroes of the Italian comedy Del Arte became: hundreds and thousands of Harlequins, Pierrot, Pantalone appeared on the streets, and the charming Colombina becomes the face, or rather the mask of the carnival. At the same time, the tradition arose and survived to this day on the first day of the carnival to lower a mechanical dove - Colombina, from which confetti is pouring down a rope over Piazza San Marco from the bell tower. True, initially a girl flew over the square, until one day this bewitching flight ended in tragedy. A rain of confetti marks the official start of the carnival. Immediately after this comes the time of unbridled fun.

The 18th century was the era of the highest flowering in the history of the Venetian carnival in history. The irresistible spirit of flirting and betrayal, the feeling of complete freedom and the expectation of exciting adventures attracted aristocracy from all over Europe to this masquerade. The fame and popularity of the carnival were so high that even high-ranking persons did not consider it shameful to take part in boundless fun incognito. During the carnival, everything was subject to the Venetian mask. In masks, they not only had fun, but also went to work and shopping, to theaters and on dates. The mask abolished all norms of behavior, and on carnival days and nights, when the Catholic Church shyly averted its gaze from the Venetian streets, it was considered bad form not to commit a fall under its cover. Even convents were turned into dance halls in those days and filled with masked men. Judging by historical notes, the Venetian nuns of those times curled, wore low-cut dresses that did not cover their slender legs, and covered their breasts only when they sang in the church choir. Almost everyone had a lover whom they secretly met. And if such were the morals of the nuns, then one can imagine what the other participants in the carnival did during the days of the festivities. Choking from unbridled joy, the Venetians tried to win happiness and love, generously letting go of the remnants of material well-being created over the past centuries.

It's a common thing that prosperity always comes with decline. And even Venice Carnival did not escape this bitter fate. In 1797, French troops occupied Italy, and by decree of Napoleon, Venetian carnivals were banned. But Venice could not and did not want to say goodbye forever to the holiday, which for several centuries was the soul of the city. Oddly enough, the beginning of its revival was laid by a banal commercial calculation. After the Second World War, Venice became one of the main tourist centers in Europe. Many new hotels, cafes and restaurants opened in the city, but it soon became clear that they were idle for almost the entire winter. And in the late 70s, the idea arose revive the legendary carnival. In 1980, a dove fluttered again in the sky over Piazza San Marco.

Since then, every year at the very end of winter, Venice is again filled with a wave of visitors, who become several times more than the Venetians themselves. Cheerful and reckless carnival spirit, languishing in oblivion for almost two centuries, once free, again rapidly gained lost glory.

The carnival lasts ten days and opens with the medieval Festa delle Marie, dedicated to the liberation of the beautiful Venetian women. The procession runs from the San Pietro Palace to the Piazza San Marco, where the seven most beautiful and youngest residents of the city, the seven Marys, appear before the audience. In addition to traditional entertainment, an integral part of the Venetian carnival is a football match, which usually takes place on the fifth day of fun. The Venetians are sure that this sport was born in their city, and on the days of the holiday they arrange a real reconstruction of medieval football. The carnival ends with the burning of an effigy and general dancing in Piazza San Marco. The next day, the city falls asleep, so that a year later, for ten days, it explodes again with a fountain of fun and whirls its guests in a stormy stream of carnival.

Today, the carnival is a purely "tourist" phenomenon that has lost its former significance for the spiritual life of the Italian people. It is believed that the city is slowly dying, gradually sinking into the waters of the Adriatic. Therefore, the fun reigning every year at the Venetian carnivals looks almost like a feast during the plague. But on the other hand, this colorful, heady spectacle can also be seen as a sign that Venice is still alive and follows its age-old traditions. During the days of the Venetian carnivals, Venice resembles the former great city: thousands of thirsty connoisseurs of this bright action come here from all over the globe. The city dresses up holiday outfits masking its antiquity. And I would like to hope that Venice Carnival will regain its former glory.