Every year the city of Venice host the Carnival of Venice, or Carnevale di Venezia in Italian. The Carnival takes place annually 58 days before Easter and comes to a conclusion on Shrove Tuesday.
The origin of the festival is said to be form when the "Repubblica della Serenissima" (how Venice was previously known) defeated the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico . Since this victory 1162 the people of the city are said to have honoured the event with dancing and offerings in San Marco Square.
Photo provided by www.venicetravelitaly.com
The annual Carnival continued and was finally made official during the renaissance period, however the tradition began to wane and ceased altogether. Then in 1979 the government decided to reinstate the carnival as way to celebrate the history and culture of the city. Now approximately 3 million people visit Venice every day the carnival is taking place.
One of the central themes of the carnival is the use of masks. Traditionally these were made with leather or glass and were symbolic in their designs. Today the majority of masks are produced using gesso decorated with gold leaf, gems, paints and feathers. Perhaps the most important event of the festivities is "La Maschera piu bella", a competition where a group of renowned fashion designers and costume makers pick the best mask of the carnival during the final weekend of the festivities.
The origin of the festival is said to be form when the "Repubblica della Serenissima" (how Venice was previously known) defeated the Patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico . Since this victory 1162 the people of the city are said to have honoured the event with dancing and offerings in San Marco Square.
Photo provided by www.venicetravelitaly.com
The annual Carnival continued and was finally made official during the renaissance period, however the tradition began to wane and ceased altogether. Then in 1979 the government decided to reinstate the carnival as way to celebrate the history and culture of the city. Now approximately 3 million people visit Venice every day the carnival is taking place.
One of the central themes of the carnival is the use of masks. Traditionally these were made with leather or glass and were symbolic in their designs. Today the majority of masks are produced using gesso decorated with gold leaf, gems, paints and feathers. Perhaps the most important event of the festivities is "La Maschera piu bella", a competition where a group of renowned fashion designers and costume makers pick the best mask of the carnival during the final weekend of the festivities.
