Venice Carnival history and traditions briefly. How are carnivals held in Venice? Description, dates, costumes, tourist reviews

The main European winter festival - the Venice Carnival - annually attracts hundreds of thousands of guests. This celebration precedes Lent like the Slavic Maslenitsa. And at the same time it is a memory of the brightest, funniest and most amazing victory over social (and any other!) stereotypes that could ever happen in medieval Europe.

It is a mistake to consider Carnival a “celebration of the common people.” From the beginning it was considered a time of equality and openness, a rejection of rules and conventions. There was also danger in the carnival - it is not for nothing that mysterious love stories, like bloody Italian detective stories, are often hidden under an exquisite carnival mask... Carnival celebrations in Italy conquered not only Venice: Sardinia, Emilia-Romagna, Apulia, Marche, Basilicata, Lazio and Piedmont also known for their processions, revelry and balls.

History of the carnival

There was a time when the Venice Carnival began on the second day of Christmas - that is, on St. Stephen's Day according to the Gregorian calendar (December 26). The carnival lasted until the Tuesday before Lent, which always begins on Wednesday in the Catholic Church. This day is sometimes called "Fat Tuesday." Although there are other versions of the chronology of the carnival: for example, from the statements of many historians and contemporaries of the Baroque era, it is clear that it did not actually end. Breaks occurred only during fasting and, in fact, harvesting. Already in October the carnival fun began again!

The origins of modern carnival have several sources. Ancient Roman associates carnival with winter pagan festivals dedicated to the god Saturn (Saturnalia) and harvest celebrations. The further development of Venetian culture and Christianization made it possible to rethink folk festivities as fun before Lent. This is how the word “carnival” arose, which literally means “goodbye meat” ( carne-vale).

Photo source: offerteshopping.it.

Documents first record the holding of a carnival in Venice back in 1094. Since then, the carnival has remained for centuries the most striking phenomenon of Venetian culture.. In the 19th century, the carnival conquered the whole world - a cheerful festival in masks became the “trademark” of Venice, and carnival lovers already spoke a variety of languages and dialects. Art, literature, theater, and then cinema made full use of carnival images - as they happily continue to use them now.

The Venice Carnival also survived a kind of “era of oblivion”: in the 19th century, when the world started talking about the celebration, Venice itself rejected it. But in 1980, Venetian carnival traditions began to be revived. True, since then the cheerful celebrations have lasted much less - from a week to three. In recent years, the carnival in Venice lasts just over two weeks.

Traditions of the Venice Carnival

Carnival has always been accompanied by both unbridled joy and cases of unjustified cruelty. Back in ancient Rome, Saturnalia was a period that actually equalized the slave and his master. To further emphasize this, in the 13th century the Venetians began to use carnival masks everywhere - not so much to hide their faces, but more for free contacts with representatives of other classes and social strata.

Photo source: blog.pelatelli.com.

Hiding many faces under masks at the same time, one way or another, had a variety of social consequences. Romantic and tragic, funny and criminal, forbidden and scandalous... During this period, any rules were practically not in effect.: The carnival has always had a lot of both children and victims. The freest traditions, perhaps, were the carnival during the Venetian Republic.

The modern carnival is no longer such a riotous and unbridled spectacle. At the same time, it combines many traditions and symbols of Venice. The action takes place simultaneously in many places and covers various sights of Venice. Ancient and modern variations of fun events are now combined here into one bright celebration. One of these events is the ancient festival of Mary ( Festa delle Marie). This is a reminder of the rescue of Venetian girls who were once stolen by Istrian pirates.

Also, the Venice Carnival these days is carnival freedom, days of theater, music and street food. At this time, there are gondola parades, competitions of traditional clothes and masks, costume balls, historical reconstructions and the “Procession of the Marys” (the twelve beauties of Venice). One of them, the winner of the competition, becomes the main character of “Flight of an Angel” next year and flies over the crowd from the bell tower right in Venice. The closing of the carnival is marked by another "flying" show - this is the "Flight of the Lion", the winged symbol of Venice and the symbol of the main Christian patron of the city, the Evangelist Mark.

venecian mask

Masks lifted restrictions and erased differences. For this reason, they were even forbidden to wear them outside of the carnival. Traditional Venetian masks are often divided into two types. First of all, these are masks from the Italian “Comedy of Masks”. They represent Harlequin and Columbine, Pulcinella and Pierrot, Pedrolino, Zanni, Brighella and other characters.

Photo source: analivingston.wordpress.com.

There are other masks: they have been formed throughout the history of the carnival and in many ways reflect Venetian culture and traditions. These are Boutta (the simplest and most popular), Moretta (“Mute Maid”), Larva, the Venetian Lady, Joker, Cat, Plague Doctor and Volto (neutral “Citizen” mask). Besides them, of course, new masks appear every year - the modern types can be listed endlessly.

Masks are made from special types of plaster, papier-mâché, paints, fabrics, foil, and various decorative materials. Decorating and painting a real Venetian mask is painstaking handwork. Craftsmen use both simple and very valuable components for this - soil, gold leaf, natural bird feathers and precious stones.

By Anthem of the Venice Carnival is the fashion designer Pierre Cardin, a native of the Venice region.
Emergence Cat masks has a fairly simple reason: there were very few cats in Venice, and the residents of the city on the water had great interest and respect for them.
Mask and special suit Doctor Plague come from a real costume, which was a tragic necessity during epidemics. Then this mask was considered a carnival reminder of death.
During the carnival work was not encouraged. If someone was caught doing this, they could tie them up and drag them to the church. There the “guilty man” drank wine until he dropped. For this, he could even be declared a carnival king.
In those days when the carnival lasted for six months, everything happened and was carried out in masks: Venetians dressed up accordingly even to church and to court.

Very soon, Italian Venice will swirl in a fireworks display of bright colors and unbridled fun. The famous carnival this year starts on January 31 and will last until February 17. Traditionally, the timing of the main Venetian event is linked to the Catholic calendar: the holiday always ends the day before the start of Lent. The word “carnival” itself is translated from Latin as “farewell meat.” Noisy festivities, masquerades and feasts were intended to please the townspeople, because the fasting period that followed was spent in humility and abstinence.

The history of the carnival goes back more than a decade. The first mention of folk festivals in Venice dates back to 1094. According to historians, a century later the carnival has already become an annual event. For a long time, the holiday was the main cultural event in the lives of the townspeople.

However, in 1797 the carnival was banned. This happened after the Venetian state ceased to exist. Subsequently, not a single attempt to revive the former glory of the carnival was crowned with success. Only in 1979 did the Italian government become seriously concerned about the return of colorful processions to the streets of Venice. The famous director Federico Fellini played a significant role in the revival of the carnival. So the carnival again became the main pride of the city residents.

Since then, during the annual holiday, Venice has become a center that attracts thousands of people who want to see with their own eyes all the splendor and beauty of this incredible action. The number of tourists flocking to Venice during Carnival reaches half a million.

The festival opens with an action called “Volo della Colombina”: from one of the bell towers, located in the famous St. Mark’s Square, a symbolic paper dove named Colombina is released into the sky, which scatters confetti over the residents.

At the same time, the “Festa delle Marie” celebration starts on the square itself. The richest history of this procession is connected with the release of Venetian women captured by pirates. The festive procession is led by seven girls, who symbolize the liberated beauties. Brightly dressed townspeople and tourists accompany the young ladies throughout the procession.

Costumes for the carnival are prepared in advance and amaze with their variety and splendor. Silk, brocade and velvet, incredible hairstyles and amazing headdresses - each carnival participant strives to stand out and amaze those gathered with the beauty of his outfit.

But, of course, the main symbol of the carnival is the traditional Venetian mask, under which the participants prefer to hide their faces. Each mask is a small work of art with its own story.

Classic Venetian masks are divided into two types.
The first type is one depicting the heroes of the traditional commedia dell'arte. Harlequin, Columbine, Pierrot, Brighella and other characters have their own character and habits. A person putting on the mask of one of the heroes of an Italian comedy must try to fit the type.

For example, under the mask of Columbine in Venetian performances there was a beautiful actress hiding. According to legend, she was so proud of her natural beauty that she did not want to completely hide her face, even for a carnival. Therefore, Columbina always appeared before the public wearing a half mask, which hid only the upper part of her face from prying eyes.

The second type are masks, which are not associated with traditional theater. These characters gradually emerged as carnival traditions developed. The Joker, the Venetian Lady, Bauta, the Cat, the Plague Doctor - they all reflect the history of Venice with all its intricacies, ups and downs.
The Bauta mask has always been one of the most sought after, as it allows you to completely hide your face. It was used by high-ranking persons who wanted to participate in the carnival incognito.

The mask of the Venetian Beauty was preferred by noble ladies, so it has a special sophisticated design.

But the traditional mask of Doctor Plague is associated with sad events: Venice has more than once become the site of terrible epidemics of this deadly disease.

Masks are made of leather or papier-mâché, as they were many years ago. For decoration, paints, gold and silver foil, rhinestones, feathers and other materials are used.

Each mask also implies a special outfit: raincoats, hats, dresses - all elements must match the mask and emphasize its beauty and individuality.

In addition to traditional parades and processions, the carnival is also interesting for its theatrical performances, concerts and other entertainment events designed to amuse and surprise citizens and guests. Even a football match has a place in this celebration of life. Moreover, it takes place in full accordance with medieval rules. The fact is that the Venetians believe that it was their city that gave this sport to the world, which is why they pay such close attention to it.

This year the theme of the carnival is: “The most delicious holiday in the world!” The organizers decided to pay tribute to the upcoming Milan Expo 2015 exhibition, which will be held under the motto “Feed the planet. Energy for life”, so the Venice holiday and all its events will be in tune with the Milan event.

Carnival is a bright and spectacular event. Such events are held in a variety of countries and cities, and they are also held in Venice. How is the famous Venice Carnival going?

What holiday is it?

The Venice Carnival is a popular costume party held annually in Venice that involves a large-scale masquerade ball.

Dates

When is the Venice Carnival? It starts in February and usually lasts about two weeks. The last day of this celebration is the so-called Fat Tuesday. The next day, Ash Wednesday, begins Lent, which for Christians lasts forty-five days and ends with one of the most popular and significant holidays - Easter, that is, the Resurrection of Christ.

history of the holiday

The history of the Venice Carnival goes back several centuries. But the first time it was held in 1094, although similar events were organized before that time. Some historians believe that the origins of this celebration go back to ancient times and are associated with festivities in honor of the god Saturn, which began after the end of the harvest.

The Christian Church used the Venice Carnival as a kind of preparation for parishioners for Lent, which was much easier to endure after such relaxation and mass festivities. In addition, a little later, all residents of the city began to wear suits, which made it possible to smooth out the differences between different layers of society and, at least during this period, create the appearance of equality of all people.

In 1662, a public festival was announced in Piazza San Marco in honor of the victory over the then ruler of Aquileia. It is assumed that it was from those times that the carnival began to be organized annually and became a real holiday. But it reached the peak of its popularity and maximum prosperity later - in the eighteenth century. It was then that beginner and professional actors began to take part in the carnival, and the costumes became more colorful and spectacular.

The appearance of Venetian masks, which covered only part of the face, was also timed to coincide with this holiday. Moreover, each costume was associated with a certain hero and had to have certain features. Characters from fairy tales and legends began to appear on the streets, and the emblem of the carnival became Columbina, a character that had become traditional in Italy, a certain gossiping maid.

At the end of the 18th century, mass uprisings began, and the holiday was practically forgotten, and in the last century it was completely banned. The veto was lifted only in the late 70s of that century, and with the permission of the Pope himself. And at the end of the 20th century, the celebration acquired its own anthem, and to this day it is official and one of the most important. And even in the photo you can see how much Italians love him.

Program

The carnival usually opens with a ritual called "Volo della Colombina", which represents the launch and subsequent explosion of the Colombina dove in Piazza San Marco. Next, large-scale performances take place, and then the celebration penetrates all the streets of the city. People sing songs, dance, communicate and just walk around, showing off their costumes. Balls are held in ancient palaces and other buildings.

The carnival literally covers the whole of Venice, so it turns into a huge costume ball and falls away from ordinary life for two weeks. And even the children are happy, because there are exciting activities for them too. The festivities end with a parade of costumes and gorgeous fireworks.

Bright outfits

At the carnival you can find almost any costume, but it must certainly be bright, reflecting the character and characteristics of the chosen hero. Moreover, a wide variety of characters are used, for example, fairy-tale or cartoon characters, taken from legends and myths, and even animals. Especially popular are Pierrot, Pantalone, Harlequin, Colombina, Gianduy, Pulcinella (analogous to Parsley).

Costumes are made by residents and guests of the city themselves, sewn in an atelier or purchased in specialized stores. Many of them are quite complex and consist of several parts: trousers, a frock coat or jacket, an embroidered and decorated shirt, a corset, a dress, a cloak or cape, a headdress and the most important attribute - a mask.

What awaits next year?

In 2017, the Venice Carnival will begin on February 11 and end only at the end of the month - February 28.

The declared program includes the following activities:

Opening ceremony on February 11 at 18:00. It will take place in Cannaregio.
On February 12, there will be a boat procession along the city's main canal, which will begin at noon and will likely take the whole day.
The theater is scheduled to open on February 18 in the main square of San Marco (it will start at noon). Moreover, the audience will see not just one performance, but a whole set, and each of them promises to be interesting. Also, everyone will be able to attend various events or take part in numerous competitions.
At five o'clock in the evening on the last day of the celebration, a magnificent closing ceremony will begin.

A full list of events can be found on the official carnival website.

The Venice Carnival is an amazing holiday, famous not only in Italy, but throughout the world. Every tourist dreams of visiting it, and if you get there, you will be very lucky!

Traditionally, before strict fasting and ten days before Maslenitsa, lush Carnivals are celebrated throughout Italy in a bright and colorful way, which literally translated from Italian 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 Carnivals in 2010-2020. , now let’s take a closer look at 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 the huge stage performance. After all, the main stage of the holiday is the entire 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. First mention of Carnival in Venice dates back to 1094, and in 1296 it even received the status of a public holiday. For several centuries, the Carnival holiday lasted 6-8 weeks and ended only with the onset of Maslenitsa, and there were cases when the Celebrations began in October of the previous year.

The idea of the Venice Carnival belonged to Venetian nobles. They really wanted to come up with something of their 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 representatives of lower classes, with the opportunity to free themselves, at least for a short period of time, from everyday routine, forget about prejudices and differences and indulge in irrepressible fun.

At the Venice Carnival you can forget about your daily routine

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

Often, under the mask of noble lords and ladies, commoners hid, and true socialites and “powers of the world” hid their faces behind the mask of simpletons. However, the carnival mask did not always hide good intentions - sometimes it served as a cover for committing crimes.

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

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 the attention and applause of 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 performers, as well as a parade of the most beautiful and original masks. The best theater and circus groups in Europe are considered an honor to take part in the Venice Carnival.

On the night of Maslenitsa, 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.

Fiery temperament, picturesque sights, sincere friendliness and a huge amount of sun - these are the epithets with which southern Italy is associated.

However, a few days a year all these wonderful features become especially concentrated and part of the country turns into a grand celebration.

This is the great Venetian carnival, which takes place annually in the most unique corner of the country - in St. Mark's Square.

History of the carnival

Annual carnivals in Venice are first mentioned by ancient sources from the beginning of the 11th century; the festival at that time, although without costumes and masks, was organized in honor of the defeat of the city of Aquileia and the overthrow of its ruler. Later, the ruler of Venice issued a decree according to which large-scale celebrations were to be held in order to properly celebrate and break the fast before the start of Lent.

In 1296, the Venetian Senate recognized the last day before Lent as a holiday, and the carnival as an official holiday of the state.

From about 16-18 centuries. The Venice Ball gained enormous popularity and flourished, citizens began to dress up in elaborate costumes and use masks. Then the Venetian masquerade lasted for quite a long time - from October until Lent itself, whereas in our time only ten days are allotted for the celebration. Nevertheless, both then and now, long before the date, all of Italy begins to be shaken by joyful excitement in anticipation of the holiday.

You will learn more about the history of the Venice Carnival from the video:

On these days, all citizens freed themselves from their professional and domestic duties to take part in a spectacular procession held in the three main areas of the city: Piazza San Marco, Riva del Schiavonni and Piazzetta. The whole city, to the sounds of drums and wind instruments, watched the play of jugglers, the magic of magicians and the art of acrobats. The music of the Venice Carnival was performed with such zeal and roar that hundreds of musical instruments simply crumbled in the hands of those playing.

At the carnival venue one could taste delicacies: roasted chestnuts, candied fruits, local and foreign baked goods.

The Venetian carnival mask became the main “highlight” of the procession only in the 18th century, when the riot reached its climax: even the most modest citizens and townswomen, putting on costumes, covered their faces with masks: men - white “Larva”, and women - black “Moretta”, a characteristic feature of which was that its wearer was forced to remain silent due to the presence of braid fastenings that had to be held with her teeth.

You will learn more about Venetian masks from the video:

The masks were made by special craftsmen who, having received a cast of the customer’s face, made the product of the desired shape and “style”. Also, men's suits were complemented by a long black cloak - Bauta, and a black triangular hat.

Such a cover allowed even the most well-behaved citizens, thanks to Moretta and Larva, to become incognito and slightly (or not quite slightly) violate their moral principles.

Even pious priests wore carnival masks that covered the entire face, and not only for decoration purposes! Later, the Venetian authorities, by issuing several laws, prohibited townspeople from using cloaks and masks outside the carnival procession in order to avoid crimes committed under the cover of the carnival.

Basic traditions

The celebration begins quite touchingly and excitingly - with the Festa delle Marie - the Feast of the Marys, organized in honor of the liberation of 12 beautiful girls, who sailed on the day of the festival in boats to meet their future husbands, from the pirates who captured them at the height of the carnival.

The Venice Carnival begins with the Festa delle Marie

Not only their lovers, but also His Majesty the Doge of Venice himself took part in saving the beautiful brides!

And coincidentally, many of the rescued girls were named Maria. Since then, according to tradition, wealthy people of the city annually donated luxury items and jewelry to poor beauties - Marias, who did not have a dowry, so that they could get married successfully.

It is not surprising that many Venetian women bear the name Maria, which, according to the townspeople, contributes to a profitable and successful marriage.

The continuation of the Carnival of Masks in Venice is a gentle, exciting and touching spectacle. From a height of 100 meters, from the top of the bell tower of the Church of St. Mark, a gentle angel - a girl in a sparkling white guise - descends onto the city, holding on to belts. This unearthly creature seems to “flow” and soar in the air, which gives the audience a feeling of divine providence.

You can admire this spectacle by watching the video:

And then the whole of Venice is permeated by large-scale processions in fancy multi-colored costumes, which most specially order from designers, despite the fabulous sum that will have to be paid for a work of tailoring art.

Venetian carnival costume is a magnificent fabric of bright color combinations, a variety of shapes, styles, images, and a wealth of decor.

Among the characters in the carnival costume one can find Figaro, Pierrot, Pulcinello, Harlequin - the characters of the Commedia dell'Arte, presented at the carnival in the sixteenth century.

In addition, the popular characters of Bauto are someone in a black cloak, a cocked hat and a forehead as white as snow, and the Venetian Lady is a beauty in a rich outfit (can be named Valerie, Salome, Fantasia, etc.). Also a favorite character of the masquerade is a cat, according to legend, brought from China and, despite his old age, exterminating all the mice and rats in the Doge's palace, and Volto - a mask with the image of an ordinary townsman.

A mask depicting an ordinary citizen is very popular at the Venice Carnival

And the most mysterious and tragic character of the carnival is, perhaps, the Plague Doctor - an image of a medieval doctor in a mask with a long spire-nose, where the doctors put herbs, which, in their opinion, saved them from plague infection, in a gloomy voluminous cloak that visually turned him into a bird of prey , and with a cane in hand, so as not to touch the “plague-stricken”.

At this moment, all of Venice is covered with multi-colored “snow”; the sounds of songs, music, and cheerful laughter can be heard from everywhere! You can’t keep any of the townspeople within the walls of their apartments these days! And since 1996, the Venice Carnival has acquired its own anthem, written, quite unexpectedly, by fashion maestro Pierre Cardin.

Carnival in Venice: our days

When is Carnival in Venice?

Since the ten-day festival, according to tradition, takes place immediately before the start of Lent, it is not possible to determine the exact date when the Venice Carnival takes place, since Easter is celebrated at different times every year! The date marking the beginning of the masquerade is different every year, but there is one peculiarity: the start date falls each time in either March or February. Moreover, if this year the Ball was opened in February, then next year it will be March, and vice versa.

You can plunge into the atmosphere of the carnival by watching the video:

When should you go to Carnival in Venice?

You need to book a hotel in advance, and it is better if it is located not in Venice itself, but in cities located nearby: Padua, Vicenza, Verona, in a word, where you can get there by bus or car.

It is best to book a hotel room for no more than three to four days, since the noise of the crowd and queues in shops and restaurants risk turning a wonderful vacation into a tiring “struggle for survival.”

It is best to stay in the city of Maestra, a Venetian province with many roads and railways connecting Mestra with Venice. You also need to book a transport ticket to Venice in advance, best using the services of the local Trenitalia website.

What would you like to bring with you?

Tourists who have purchased tours to the Carnival in Venice simply need to take a carnival costume with them, and you can either make it yourself or order it from a designer if you have the means and want to look colorful in a Venetian way. You can also rent a suit from local shops and tailor shops; this service is also very common.

Luxurious suits can be rented from local shops

You can also buy a mask right here; they are sold in abundance, counting on the huge influx of tourists. By the beginning of the carnival season, a variety of face masks look at customers from the windows of every shop and store, so there is no need to fear that you will be left without one.

A few useful subtleties

When planning a train trip to the carnival, you should consider the following points:

When going to the carnival, it is very undesirable to take small children and pets with you, because a crowd of thousands filling the streets poses a real danger to a defenseless creature;
As with transport tickets to Venice, book tables in restaurants in advance, as due to the crowd there are usually no empty seats;
The most interesting shows and performances take place not on the streets of the city, but inside local palaces and theater halls.
It is advisable to buy a ticket for such events in advance, since the festive atmosphere there is no less concentrated, but there is much less noise from the crowd.

If you are a supporter of a civilized, restrained and cultural holiday, then this vision of the holiday suits you just right. The most colorful show is the Doge's Ball, held in the Piasni Moretta palace, located on the Grand Canal.

Watch the video to see how the ball goes:

True, one ticket for it will cost 500 euros. Also, colorful performances take place in La Fenisa, the local theater building, where there will be dancers, musicians, and acrobats. All information about the annual carnival action is posted on a website specifically dedicated to the Venetian Masquerade: http://www.carnevale.venezia.it/

Well, what to see in Venice, besides the carnival, read