Photos by CuorHome
Imagine to be in a silent lagoon: a city built on water, where you can walk at your own pace and you don’t need to cross busy streets.
Picture yourself in Venice.
Here a special story has been going on since about 1000 A.D., when an official document speaks of “public amusement in the period before Easter”: it is the Carnival of Venice.
In that period Venice was a romantic place of endless suggestions, populated by artists, musicians, riches and nobles, where pleasure, dreams and desires could easily come true, and during Carnival everything was possible.
To be true, Carnival has even more remote roots, going back to ancestral cults present in almost all ancient societies, like the Roman cult “Saturnalia Latini”, which motto was “Semel in Anno licet insanire” (Once a year you can get out of control). A similar purpose was animating Venetian oligarchy when, for a short period every year, they let poorer people wear a mask to imitate the rich and mighty ones: it was a useful way to keep under control social tensions.
Nowadays, Carnival can be considered as a symbol of the switch from Winter to Spring and begins in the period before Easter. Stages are built in the main places like San Marco Square and Rialto Bridge, and special events take place: concerts, traditional masks parades, theatre shows, buskers shows, gala dinners.
People come to Venice from all over the world to enjoy this amazing happening; they wear bizarre masks, dance in the tiny streets and toss colourful confetti and streamers to each other.
This year the Venice Carnival will be a tribute to the Unification of Italy (for the 150th anniversary) and Women (as Mardi Gras will be on 8th March), it will last from February 26th to 8th March and a special silent Grand Canal regatta - enlightened by the soft light of thousands of candles - will take place during the last night.
If you happen to be the neighbourhood during that days you might better to pay a visit to the most special city in the most special days of the year. :)
Written by ArtInVenice
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i've been in venice several times and i adore it! my wish is to go with the Carnival, i hope i'll realize it sometimes :)
RispondiEliminaI love Venice too...and the Carnival is so amazing^_^
RispondiEliminaVenice is bautiful and more during CARNIVAL!!!
RispondiEliminaGreat!!! Carnevale in Venice is something special and magical... I'd like to see it at least once in my life... :)
RispondiEliminaHmmmm.. I am confused..
RispondiEliminaYou live in Italy and have never been to Venice Carnival??? :)))) This is Crazy! :D :D
YOU HAVE TO GO!! And afterwards you have to tell me everything about it. I count on you, guys. :D
P.S. I would love to go, but I can't, because I live in "far-far-faraway-land" Latvia! :)
Love Venice's carnival!!!! :==)
RispondiEliminaI hope to go also this year! :)
great article :)
Solvita: I live in Italy, but quite far from Venice :)
RispondiEliminaBut I'll go... I promise! :D
PS: I've been in Venice several times, but never for Carnevale ;)
I've never been to Venice 's carnival too!! :(
RispondiEliminaBut I'll go, for sure!
Thanks for sharing!
ehehh Solvita i live far from venice too :P i promise i'll go sometimes and take many photos for you ^_^
RispondiEliminathank you artinvenice for this article! ;)
I count on you, Friends! :))
RispondiEliminaLots and lots of pictures, Please! xox