HISTORY

The Carnival of Venice, is the best known for the charm that exercises and the mystery that continues to exist even now that 900 years have elapsed from the first document that refers to this famous festival. You have memories of the festivities of Carnival since 1094, under the dogato of Vitale Falier, in a document that deals of public entertainment in the days preceding Lent. The official document declaring the Carnival as public celebration dates 1296 when the Senate declared a public holiday on the last day of Lent. However, the carnival has much more ancient traditions that point to the ancestral cult of transition from winter to spring, cults present in almost all societies, if you think to Latin Saturnalia or Dionysian cults.
In the past, the Carnival of Venice allowed Venetians to dedicate themselves completely to fun; boxes were built in the main areas, along the Riva degli Schiavoni, in Piazzetta and Piazza San Marco. People flocked to admire the most different attractions: jugglers, acrobats, dancing animals,  acrobats; trumpets, fifes and drums were almost consumed by the use and the hawkers sold nuts, chestnuts, fritòle (fritters ) and cakes of all kinds.

THE MASKS

Along the streets and the channels “Good morning Mrs Mask” “Buongiorno Siora Maschera” was the greeting: personal identity, gender, social class no longer existed, you joined the Great Illusion of Carnival in a place, unique in the world, where anything can happen, where every corner does not cease to enchant.
The craftsmen who produced mask masks were called maschereri since the time of the Doge Foscari, and they held their statute dated April 1436. They belonged to the fringe of painters and were helped in their profession by TARGHERI that printed painted faces over the stucco, with great attention of details.
During the Carnival, the Venetians granted transgressions of all sorts and masks were used to maintain anonymity and to allow any prohibited game, both by men and by women. Even priests and nuns took advantage of the masks for hiding and to transgress making love escapes.

Bauta

The Bauta consists of a black cloak called tabarro, a black hat which is worn on the head above the tabarro and a white mask called Larva (the name derives from the Latin Larva which means “ghost” or even “mask”) .

Bauta mask

Moretta

It was an oval mask of black velvet and was used by ladies when they went to visit the nuns. The Moretta fashion, imported from France, spread quickly in Venice because it is a mask suitable for feminine  features especially when it was adorned with veils, flaky hats.
Moretta was a dumb mask as it had a button into the mouth.

Moretta mask

Tabarro

Tabarro consisted of a cape than doubled over the shoulders, could be of cloth or silk, depending on the season, white or blue, scarlet for a gala occasion, sometimes decorated with frills, fringes and staple “to the military” It was much used by women, of dark colour in winter and white in summer.

Tabarro mask

THE FLIGHT OF THE DOVE

The Venetians used to build a huge dove filled with confetti, which is done to fly from the Bell Tower to the Clock Tower, suspended to a cable. At the arrival it breaks and corianders scatter in the air. By tradition, the dove flight would predict the performance of the year to come.
Each day is marked by numerous cultural events and fun in general. The last day of this traditional Carnival is naturally greeted by a phantasmagorical fireworks. A show that gives the city a special look, with multicolored fireworks, which are reflected on the canals and the lagoon, giving the impression of living in a magical atmosphere, alien to reality.

The dove flight

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