The Carnival of Venice, if not the most impressive, is certainly the best known for the romantic charm of the past and that still gives off.900 years have elapsed from the first document that refers to this famous festival. Under the Doge Vitale Falier, already since 1904 are quotes amusement of Venice before the start of Lent, but the carnival festival becomes public in 1296Carnival does not arise, however, in Venice; its origins are pagan and date back to the ancestral cults of passage from winter to spring, cults of many companies, just remember the Latin Saturnalia or Dionysian cults
The base is one: the ruling classes let the people free from the brakes, gave the people the freedom to vent, the freedom to make fun of the powerful by wearing masks on the face. A useful escape valve to control the social tensions following the example of “bread and circuses” Latin.Once the Carnival of Venice allowed to leave aside the occupations to devote himself to the entertainment: stages were built in the main camps and people flocked to see jugglers, acrobats, animals, dancing, acrobats; trumpets, fifes and drums. Street vendors were selling dried fruit, chestnuts and fritole (pancakes) or crostoli and Galani.The Venetian has always been known for His unconditional love for fun, for the game (remember the Reduced casinos of time where they could come in and play even women) and for pleasure (remember the Calle delle Stue, the old brothels stue were called, with the home Ca ‘Rampani where prostitutes were accepted that the family had given rampanoi precisely one of their properties, Rampani House to accommodate them).
And Carnival, covered by the mask is given free rein to irresponsibility, to the whole and over: the world seemed not to offer more resistance to the desires became feasible and there was no thought or act that is not possible. This was Venice in the eighteenth century, the century, more than any other, made the scene of infinite charm and heritage of the imagination of the world. The Venice of the eighteenth century was the city of Casanova, a superficial world, festive, decorative and gallant, the city of Carlo Goldoni that well drew his wonderful City and His philosophy festive, especially during Carnival
“Here and there, the wife her husbandEveryone goes where parEvery one runs to some invitation,to those who Giocar to dance. ”
In the nineteenth century, the Carnival lost a bit ‘in student pranks and carnal spirit to plunge in Romanticism, and then crosses a time down with the fall of the Venetian Republic and the suspicious eyes of the French and Austrian. At this time of decline, the tradition is kept alive in the islands.Towards the end of 1970, the Venetians resume their Carnival and revive, the carnival is in their guts, the Serenissima always hovers over the city, you hear it, it picks up and the carnival was a riotous His expressionIn in 1979. The City of Venice, the Teatro La Fenice, the provincial company of stay and the Biennale prepared a program of 11 days leaving too much room for improvisation and spontaneity without forgetting logistical support with canteens and affordable housing accessible.We thank the Venetians to be so deeply rooted in their origins, and of having given back these wonderful days. The pastry shop windows become an irresistible temptation among pancakes of all kinds, including Venetian pastries, Galani, crostoli, around the streets of the town they pass by beautiful masks, lost in time, suspended between today and yesterday, the bacari (bars typical Venetian) dispense wine, cichetti (meatballs, cod fish on toast, sardines in sauce, all traditional Venetian appetizers), spritz in an atmosphere of extremely high alcohol contentPrivate parties in Venetian palaces, ladies and dandies in gaudy costumes sipping hot chocolate in the cafes of Piazza San Marco, or ‘ciacolano’ (chat in Venetian) accommodated lazily and nobly in Venetian hotels, carnivals, feast Arsenal: air of celebration and joy that pervades and invades the whole lagoon of Venice which is and always will be the most precious jewel.I myself can not always be at the Venice carnival although I live in Jesolo and Jesolo offers its Carnival, with masks, allegorical masks , parties and hotels in Jesolo which open as a cheap basis to enjoy the venice Carnival. And this year more than ever, I wandered with friends met on vacation in the streets of masked people, and in their eyes the joy, wonder and warmth that you can give Venice with its student pranks … for me it is almost normal, but for them, as the first Carnival lived in Venice, it was a constant surprise and eyes rolled at the end of the evening between alcohol, extreme beauty and funAlso this year the carnival is over and now we all pay for our excesses with Lent