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Venice from a mask's eye view
When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Venice in 1797, he defined Piazza San Marco as "The most beautiful hall in Europe". Bonaparte's invasion ended the 11 centuries of history and power of the Serenissima Republic, and it was he who banned, for fear of conspiracy against him, the festivities of Carnival, a Venetian tradition that had begun in the 13th century.
Piazza San Marco in the eighteenth century, in a painting by Canaletto
The carnivals were gradually re-established and reached their peak in the 19th century, becoming official in 1979. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Venice was one of the obligatory stops on the so-called "Grand Tour". Many aristocrats from different places visited the city, it being common for princes and nobles to escape for a few days to enjoy the carnival, or even for months, as there were times when the celebrations lasted from October to March.
During the Venice Carnival, the nobles mingled with the plebs, the rich with the poor, social differences disappeared, and people enjoyed that liberating anonymity and the illusion that anything could happen during those days.
The nobles used the mask to mingle with the people without being recognized.
The costumbrist painter Pietro Longhi portrayed scenes of the Venice carnival in the 18th century.
Today, to travel to Venice is to travel to a city where time seems to have stopped centuries ago. The best way to reach the city is from the sea, aboard one of the famous motoscafi or water cabs, to start your journey with that first unique postcard that will give us the Venetian Renaissance skyline formed by the Palazzo Ducale, the domes of the Basilica of San Marco, and the Campanile.
Getting to Venice from the sea provides a unique perspective of the city.
Getting lost in the less touristic neighborhoods is the best way to discover the most authentic and local Venice.
If you get away from the tourist routes, the best thing to do in Venice is to wander aimlessly and get lost in neighborhoods or sestieri as the Dorsoduro or Giudecca. Breathe in the humidity of the canals that mingles with the aroma of stew coming from the small balconies. Touch the century-old half-sunk walls or admire the decadent luxury of the palaces overlooking the Grand Canal, the same one that Lord Byron swam along every day back in 1820.
During Carnival, the nobles mingled with the plebs, the rich with the poor, social differences disappeared, and a liberating anonymity was enjoyed
The mask is one of the most characteristic elements of the Carnival of Venice.
Most Venetian masks are inspired by the characters of the Commedia dell'arte, a popular theater genre that was born in Italy in the 16th century and was characterized by its comic character, which sought ridicule through absurd situations.
Some of the most important characters are Pulcinella, Arlecchino, Colombina, and Pantalone.
One of the most popular masks, without a doubt, is the beaked mask that the doctors of the Middle Ages used to avoid sickness and that became popular during the plague that ravaged the city between 1629 and 1631.
Venice, a city threatened in equal parts by the sludge of the canals, sea currents, and mass tourism, celebrates every year, between February and March, one of its greatest traditions, "Il Carnevale", a unique experience in the world.
For ten days, Venetians and travelers flood the streets, squares, and palaces of the city dressed in sumptuous and expensive costumes in the style of the nobles of the eighteenth century, wearing impeccable wigs, very carefully applied makeup, and elaborate handmade masks, in a journey through time in which it seems that the world has gone back three centuries.
- Carnival costumes are handcrafted and can cost thousands of euros. —
- Romanticism, mystery, and 17th century aesthetics inspire most of the dresses —
- Masks, hats, and cloaks ensure the anonymity of the person behind the character —
- Couples of costumed locals often pose to see and be seen in the most emblematic corners of the city. Photos: Jesús Serrano
Both the costumes and the masks are handcrafted for months with high-quality materials and exclusive designs, which can make the cost of each costume reach several thousand euros.
The carnival officially begins with the so-called "Volo dell'Angelo", in which an acrobat, suspended from a metal cable, is launched 80 meters high from the Campanile and flies over St. Mark's Square before hundreds of attendees who hold their breath. This tradition emulates an ancient feat performed by a tightrope walker on a cable and aimed to greet the Doge of the Venetian Republic, who watched the scene from his balcony in the Doge's Palace.
A female acrobat throws herself suspended from the top of the Campanile into St. Mark's Square.
The "Volo dell'Angelo" officially kicks off the Carnival in Venice.
Despite the fact that the carnival must be celebrated in the street, the palaces, some luxury hotels, and ballrooms offer unique and exclusive experiences celebrating great parties that can only be accessed by direct invitation.
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