Carnevale di Venezia - a little history and some pictures

The festival of carnival in Venice is thought to have originated from the annual celebration of the Doge Michieli's victory in 1162. The terms of the victory required that the looser pay an annual tribute of 12 loaves of bread, 12 pigs and 1 bull to the Doge. It officially begins at the festival of Santo Stefano (December 26) and ends on Shrove Tuesday (which varies each year based on when Easter occurs). It was held continuously until Napeolon gave the Veneto region to Austria at the Treaty of Campo Formio. For the next 2 centuries there was no carnevale! So much for joyousness of the Austrians. Again in the 1930s the fascist government banded the fun! Spoil sports!

Carnevale began again in the 1980s and has taken on a splendor even the Serenissima would envy. Now it begins about 2 weeks before Shrove Tuesday. This year Shrove Tuesday and the official end of Carnevale is on 24 February.

Masks play a central part in the celebration and range from the simple to masks handpainted with San Marco Square which costs in the thousands. To acknowledge the importance of the masks in the festivies, the Mask Makers have had their own craft guild since about 1436. They are used to hide and protect the wearer's identity and became the symbol of freedom from severe social rules. It's a real Venetian celebration but behind the mask, even tourist can enjoy the fun.

There are several distinct traditional masks:

• The bauta is a white mask covering almost the entire face.
• The moretta is an oval mask of black velvet which was attached to the face with a button held between the teeth
• The Mattacino is a clown type of masks with a whimscal look
• The Comedy: Sad Face/Happy Face
• Arlecchino: Clown with colorful mask (We have a bead named after this mask!)

Couple along Grand Canal	Bauta Mask with Ruffled Collar	Court Jester
Brilliant Blue with Bauta Masks	Red Simplicity with Bauta Mask	Gold costumes in front of the Basilica San Marco
Some pictures of San Marco Square and the decorations for the celebration, note the winged lion on the right.

In addition to the festivies, masks, great costumes and parties, my personal favorite is "le fritelle" a cream puff sort of deep fried pastry filled with cream or sbaglione (custard with liquor) or there is the traditional Veneziana which is stuffed with small bits of dried fruit.

A few terms and facts:

• Doge: The head of the Repubblica di Venezia
• Carnevale: the Italian spelling for Carnival
• Serenissima: Serenissima del Repubblica di Venezia (their tital for the republic)
• Shrove Tuesday: Also known as Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday and the day before Ash Wednesday which begins Lent
• Calculation of Easter: The first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox, also known as the first day of spring and is when the sun passes over the equatorial plan moving from South to North. The Equinox this year occurs at 5:48 GMT (London) on 20 March