Much of the world celebrates the carnival , a movable date party that probably originates in pagan festivities in honor of Bacchus , the saturnals and lupercals Roman , and even before, in Egypt, in the celebrations to the god Apis .There are historians who indicated that there were similar parties in the ancient Sumerian ., especially in the saturnals, masks began to be used for festive purposes, hence in the carnival we all dress up.
They are movable because they are celebrated between February and March, and they are always Monday and Tuesday, because they are just before Ash Wednesday that inaugurates the beginning of Christian Lent , so they are more associated with countries of Catholic tradition .
They are characterized by the joy in the streets, costumes, parades and parades , where certain excesses and uncontrolled, including eating meat (because during Lent you had to make strict fasting where meat was practically prohibited).
In fact, the first etymology of the word comes from the vulgar Latin carne-levare (“abandon the meat”), and then another from the Italian word carnevale , which means the opposite, “epoca in which you can eat meat ”, and it is the one that is currently used.It should be said that at the end of the last century, some authors found evidence of other etymologies, older and more pagan: Carna was the Celtic goddess of bacon and beans; and Karna was an Indo-European god, elder brother of the pandavas , son of the sun and queen Kunti .You see this party is long data.
The most notorious celebrations are the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro , the Mardi Gras of New Orleans and that of Venice , the oldest.
And now we enter Venice
After a little history to understand the context, let's talk about one of the most famous and representative carnival celebrations: the Carnival of Venice, in Italy, the romantic city par excellence, with its intricate stone alleys and its famous canals.Are you joining us?
First celebrations
The tradition of this holiday goes back no less than to the 11th century.In 1296, an edict of the Senate of the Republic declared the holiday the day before to Lent; it was “granted” by the Venetian oligarchies to give the people a period of fun and the masks constituted a real hiding place that annulled the social classes , so it was very common for the nobles to walk and mix with the plain people, protected by the anonymity of their costumes.
The Carnival of Venice reached its peak and peak in the eighteenth century, and aristocrats and travelers from all over Europe gathered in this city in search of pleasure and fun.
However, the discovery of America , the changes in the route of silk and the wealth from the New World made this city decline as a commercial focus and the carnival almost disappeared.
And what do they disguise ?
Costumes are really a work of art; they usually represent the clothing of the 18th century and the maschera nobile (white mask and black silk clothing, can also be dark colors and three-pointed hats) abound.
Currently visitors only wear masks or masks (which are still white, silver and gold), which are sold in heaps on the streets of the city, and photos are taken with Venetians, who if they disguise themselves, with truly spectacular costumes.
Carnival prohibited!
I banned it Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797, when I occupy Venice.This French emperor felt resquemores and a great fear that, once again protected by disguises, Venetian citizens could meet under the protection of anonymity and celebrations to conspire against him.
So that during a good time, the narrow and cobbled streets of Venice, as well as its beautiful canals, were bare of celebrations where faces were hidden.
Today, recovered
In the century XX the carnival was restored as an important party, and it was only in 1979.It lasts 10 days, in which there are hundreds of street and private parties (these are usually by invitation and have high costs).
The first Sunday is celebrated the "flight of the angel" or the Colombina, where a metal dove is launched from the bell tower of San Marcos to the Doge's Palace (currently an acrobat who plays the angel).
The day with the highest number of visitors, of course, is Carnival Tuesday.
Without a doubt, Venice with its narrow streets and canals where the romantic gondolas and the history that exude its stones abound, is one of the most incredible scenarios in the world where to spend ten unforgettable days of partying.
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