Italian carnivals

Story

Italian carnivals have religious basis. Many Catholic countries celebrate this holiday.

Let's first understand, where did the word carnival or carnevale come from in Italian? Its roots are from Latin carnemLevare", which means "remove the meat". Why this name? In ancient times, this word was used to call a banquet organized on the last day of the carnival period ("fat Tuesday" or "martedì grasso"), after which a period of restrictions and starvation began, lasting until Holy Easter.

Some carnivals in Italy

The largest and world-famous carnivals take place in the following cities: Venice (Veneto), Viareggio (Tuscany), Ivrea (Piedmont), Satriano di Lucania (Basilicata), Acireale (Sicily), Sciacca (Sicily), Fano (Marche), Manfredonia (Apulia) ), Putignano (Apulia), Striano (Campania). Their fame has gone far beyond the borders of Italy and annually attracts a huge number of tourists.

The longest carnival in Italy takes place in the city of Putignano, and one of the oldest carnivals that has survived to this day is in Verona, its history began in the late Middle Ages and it bears the original name - BacanAldelGnoco.

The Venice Carnival is known for its magnificent masks and costumes, as well as various shows: arts, fashion, theatrical performances.

Carnival in Viareggio was founded in 1873 and is one of the most grandiose in the world. Main characteristic of the holiday are huge platforms with papier-mâché dolls moving through the streets of the city on Sundays from January to February. These dolls usually depict well-known figures: culture, theater and politics, ridiculing their characteristics and negative sides.

photo wikipedia.org

The historical carnival in Ivrea is famous for its culminating event - the battle of the oranges.

photo wikipedia.org

The carnivals in Manfredonia and Putignano are the largest in Puglia. The main attraction of the carnival in Manfredonia is the so-called "Parade of Miracles", in which thousands of the city's children take part. Carnival was born in 1952.

photo wikipedia.org

The carnival of Sciacca is the oldest carnival in Sicily, its roots go back to the times of the Roman Empire. Today, this carnival is known for its floats with large papier-mâché dolls moving through the historic center of the city, surrounded by a large number of masked actors singing and dancing to traditional music.

Another famous carnival, recognized as the most beautiful in Sicily, takes place in the city of Acireale. He is known for huge moving platforms with puppets and decorated with natural flowers.

These are just a few of the most beautiful and unforgettable carnivals in Italy.

The best carnivals in Italy

This list shows the carnivals that attract the most people and are the "most-most" for any reason:

• Carnival in Fano (Marche) - the most ancient after the Venetian;
• Carnival in Viareggio (Tuscany) - the largest mobile platforms with puppets in the world;
• Carnival in Acireale (

Mysterious ladies in luxurious outfits and lace half masks, cavaliers in bouts, processions and parades, street performances and music... Today, the carnival in Venice follows the prescribed rules and has a certain theme, but several centuries earlier it was a real revelry of excitement and flirting.

The history of the masquerade

The history of Carnevale di Venezia takes us back to the times ancient rome , to the annual Saturnalia - a holiday in honor of the ancient Roman god Saturn, the patron saint of agriculture. Saturnalia was celebrated in December, the days of the winter solstice.

Only during the period of Saturnalia did everyone become equal to each other- the slave became equal to his master and had the right to sit at the same table with him. And so that the social situation did not embarrass anyone and did not give rise to prejudices, everyone put on special masks that completely hide their faces. Thus, no one knew whether the slave in front of him or the noble master. It was possible to do anything, regardless of rank and position in society.

With the advent of Christian traditions, the holiday has changed a little.- now no one disturbed the ancient Roman pantheon of gods. The holiday was no longer dedicated to the gods, people just wanted to have fun, in which almost everything was allowed. The indispensable attributes of the holiday - the mask, and with it the carnival costume - remained unchanged.

But the date of the holiday has shifted a bit. Carnival began to be held towards the end of winter, in the days preceding the beginning of Lent.

The date of the first Venice Carnival in different sources is also mentioned differently.. According to some sources, the time of the first carnival was 1094, when the Venetian Republic celebrated the conclusion of a successful treaty with Byzantium, which gave it advantages for trade in the Mediterranean.

Another version shifts the date of the carnival to 1162. when, in the confrontation between the Republic of Venice and the Patriarch Ulrico, she was the first to emerge victorious. To commemorate this victory, the townspeople held festivities and feasts in St. Mark's Square.

In 1296, the holiday already becomes the official city carnival - the Senate of the Venetian Republic declared the last day before Lent a holiday.

The heyday of the carnival in Venice falls on the XVIII century- then during the festivities, almost everything was allowed. Entire fortunes descended in casinos and gambling houses, ladies cheated on their husbands, and husbands cheated on their wives. The air was filled with excitement.

Everything was rather frivolous and simple - after all, the face was hidden by a mask, which means that no one would know who was doing these atrocities. IN late XVIII century (1797), after the capture of Italy by the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, being an ardent opponent of carnivals and public games, banned these excesses.

The revival of the masquerade took place only in the 80s of the XX century, and then the holiday began to be held on an even larger scale, as if recouping for the years of disgrace.

On the pages of our site you will also find out where it is and how to get from it to nearby cities.

Want to take a look at Venice's famous landmark, the Rialto Bridge? detailed information about this building.

On our website you will learn about another popular attraction in Venice -. Why is this majestic building so famous?

You must have heard of the Milanese opera house La Scala! you will find some photos of the famous building and learn the history of its construction.

When the event takes place: date of celebration in 2017

Currently Carnevale di Venezia is themed- the main theme of the holiday is officially established. For example, for 10 years the theme of the holiday was cinema, namely the films of Federico Fellini.

There were holidays dedicated to travel generally(the topic is “Travel and Travellers”) or to a particular country or part of the world (“The East and its traditions”). All performances of the Venice Carnival in Italy, as well as the costumes of the main acting characters and heroes, were kept in the theme of the holiday. The theme of 2014 was nature, 2015 - tasty food, and 2016 - Arts and Crafts.

Preparations for the events of 2017 are in full swing: after all, the time of the celebration is from 11 to 28 February inclusive. For these two weeks, Venice will bloom and sparkle with a hundred shades.

The beauty of Carnevale di Venezia is that this is an open event available to tourists from any country. Anyone can try on an 18th or 19th century costume and join the noisy crowd of celebrating. A prerequisite is the wearing of a bauta (a special carnival mask), without it the holiday is not considered a holiday.

Is it true, to create a carnival image, you have to fork out a lot: luxurious and expensive fabrics, lace, fur - such chic outfits cost a lot. Fortunately, there are offices that are ready to offer rental of traditional carnival costumes for a fee.

But if you did not have time during the days of the official celebration, you should not be upset - a carnival mask and other paraphernalia can be purchased in special souvenir shops.

The price for the most expensive and luxurious bouts reaches 150 euros. But do not rush to buy them: sometimes masks for 5-10 euros are much more convenient, and they are not inferior in beauty.

After watching this video, you can plunge into the atmosphere of the celebration of the Venice Carnival:

Note to tourists:

In February, a real extravaganza begins in many cities of Italy - the Italians hold their famous carnivals.
The most magical, vivid and memorable is, of course, the carnival in. It lasts 10 days. Its start date varies from year to year, as it is tied to Lent. By tradition, events begin on Saturday and end on Fat Tuesday - the day before Lent. However, in last years the celebrations start a week earlier and last about 18 days.

In 2016, the Venice Carnival will take place from 23 January to 9 February. It will be timed to the international. The theme of the carnival is called "The most delicious holiday in the world."
It is assumed that the carnival has become an annual since 1162, although the first documentary mention of it dates back to 1094. At that time, thanks to masks, the line between classes was erased, and a person, being unrecognized, could do anything, even commit crimes.

Currently, the most popular are the masks of the Italian Commedia dell'Arte. People try on the images of Pierrot, Harlequin, Columbine, Plague Doctor, Cat, etc. Throughout Venice, you can find luxurious carnival costumes embroidered with gold and adorned with precious stones.

Carnival begins with the Feast of Mary, during which 12 girls lead a long procession from the church of San Pietro to Piazza San Marco. From among them, "Mary of the Year" is chosen and crowned.
These days, Venice is completely transformed into a theater venue. Everywhere there are performances, concerts, balls. But the main number of events, of course, takes place in the city center.

The carnival ends with the night “Quiet Regatta”, during which a cortege of gondolas sails through Venice, and the Venetians say goodbye to the holiday.

Not only the Venice Carnival attracts crowds of Italians and tourists from all over the world.
Tourists from all over the world go to see the oldest and longest carnival - the carnival in Putignano. This ancient town is located in the province of Bari. The carnival begins on December 26 and lasts for almost a month and a half. The first mention of it dates back to 1394, when the knights of the Order of Malta were transferring the relics of St. Stephen from Monopoli to Putignano. The procession was joined by local residents who began to sing and dance.

Carnival in Viareggio, a Tuscan city, has been celebrated since 1870. There they arrange a parade of huge wagons, in which they carry colorful papier-mâché figures, ridiculing politicians and public figures. Therefore, the carnival in Viareggio is known as the most daring and accusatory.
In 2016, the Viareggio Carnival will take place from 24 January to 14 February.

Another of the most spectacular and famous Italian carnivals is the Carnival of Europe in Cento (province of Ferrara). It has been held since the 17th century, and in 1993 it became twinned with the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. During the four Sundays in February, in Cento, as in Viareggio, a procession of wagons with allegorical figures follows. In addition, the city hosts theatrical performances, concerts and performances of samba schools.

Carnival in Ivrea (Piedmont region), ending with the Battle of Oranges, has been held for over 200 years. The tradition dates back to the events of the 12th century, when the local duke passed a law according to which he could spend the night with every newlywed. Most of the men did not rebuke him, fearing the retribution of the duke. But, as the legend says, a young woman, the daughter of a miller, whose name was Violetta, did not want to have a relationship with the ruler and cut off his head. This led to an uprising of the poor in the city.
To commemorate this event, people throw oranges at each other. The townspeople, dressed in historical costumes, are divided into several teams. Those representing the overlords stand on the balconies, while ordinary citizens are on the ground.

Carnivals are popular not only in mainland Italy, but also on the islands. So, the most famous carnival in Sicily is the carnival in the medieval city of Sciacca (province of Agrigento). It starts at Clean Thursday- the first day of Easter - and lasts about a week.
Another famous carnival takes place in Acireale (province of Catania) for two weeks in late January - early February. In 2016 it will be held from 4 to 21 February.

Traditionally, before a strict fast and ten days before Shrovetide, lush Carnivals are celebrated all over Italy in a bright and colorful way, which literally means “farewell to meat” (Italian: Carni, vale). Most famous carnival in Italy, and throughout the world - the carnival in Venice. Separately, about the dates of the Carnivals in 2010-2020. , now let's dwell in more detail on the holiday itself.

Every year Venice Carnival takes place under a special slogan or theme around which the whole The cultural program, although, of course, the program of events also includes numerous traditional rituals that are followed during a huge stage performance. After all, the main stage of the holiday is the whole city, with its squares, streets, large and small canals, and, of course, theaters.

Carnival costumes in Venice

As we have already noted, the Venice Carnival is one of the most famous and popular carnivals in the world. The first mention of Carnival in Venice dates back to 1094, and in 1296 it even receives the status of a public holiday. For several centuries, the Carnival holiday lasted for 6-8 weeks and ended only with the onset of Maslenitsa, and there were cases when the Celebrations began from October of the previous year.

Idea for the Venice Carnival belonged to the Venetian nobles. I really wanted to come up with something of my own - similar to the Ancient Roman one - where the slogan "Bread and circuses" would work, and they really succeeded.

The original purpose of the Carnival is to provide citizens, especially those of the lower classes, with the opportunity to at least for a short period of time get rid of the daily routine, forget about prejudices and differences and indulge in irrepressible fun.

At the Venice Carnival, you can forget about the daily routine

The Venetians got the opportunity to enjoy life and break away, as they say, “without brakes” with the help of carnival masks and costumes that concealed the face, social affiliation and even gender, which guaranteed complete anonymity.

Often, under the guise of noble gentlemen and ladies, commoners were hiding, and true secular lionesses and “ powers of the world”hid their faces behind the mask of simpletons. However, the carnival mask did not always hide good intentions - sometimes it served as a cover for committing crimes.

In the 18th century, the Venice Carnival gradually loses its former significance and chic, and soon “leaves the stage” altogether. Revival of the Venice Carnival with great success took place relatively recently - in 1979, the year. And in our time, Venice and Carnival are inseparable concepts from each other.

Today, the Venice Carnival is a bright, enchanting holiday in which history and modernity merge together. The streets and squares of the city are filled with magicians, clowns, acrobats and jugglers. The main thing in the holiday is that everyone can turn from a spectator into an artist and show their show, receiving attention and applause from the public.

At the carnival, everyone can turn from a spectator into an artist

Mandatory attributes of the program of each carnival are theatrical processions and shows, concerts of classical and modern music, solo programs of pop artists, as well as a parade of the most beautiful and original masks. The best theatrical and circus groups of Europe are honored to take part in the Venice Carnival.

On the night of Maslenitsa, a silent procession of boats and gondolas lined up by candlelight along Grand Canal(Grand Canal), Venice traditionally says goodbye to the Carnival in order to celebrate it even brighter, more colorful and more fun in a year.

February 11, 2017

This holiday is considered pagan, although it is "timed" for a religious date - Fat Tuesday (it. il Martedì grasso), which completes the festive events. The next day - Ash Wednesday - begins great post before Easter. Carnival is bright colors, amazing costumes, fantasy masks and original sweets, also painted in all the colors of the rainbow.
The word "carnival" in Russian is borrowed from Italian:
carnival ⬅ carnevale, from lat. carne - meat, vale - goodbye.

Buongiorno, Siora Maschera!- this is how they greet each other in the Venetian language at the carnival in Venice - the city that is considered the "parent" of all carnivals! This greeting means "Good afternoon, Senora Mask!". It was here that the first costumed performances began to be held, it was here that masks turned into art, it was here that today the festive events last the longest and, as it begins to seem, every year the number of days and the events themselves is becoming more and more ... But this is not surprising, since many people want to get to the carnival in Venice, and the locals are happy for themselves and their wallets to do anything to attract tourists.

What is the Venetian carnival? These are, first of all, masks and costumes corresponding to them. During the carnival, the city plunges into a fabulous atmosphere, filled with secrets and excites with mysterious characters. Carnival in Venice is "expensive and rich", because real fancy dress is an art. All relevant attributes can be bought in cheap versions, but ... for true connoisseurs there are unique, exclusively self made, products, the secrets of production of which go back to the depths of centuries. The production of masks takes place in several stages and requires not only skills and adherence to technology, but also creativity, because each mask should be unique and inimitable. Couple costumes or when a group of friends dress up in the same theme are very popular. IN holidays masks hide not only residents of Venice, but also guests from other cities, regions and countries. And here are the main Venetian masks exist:

La Larva is a ghost, ghost, mask, but sometimes it is called a kind of blank for all types of masks. Represents a simple white mask in the shape of a face.

Il Volto - book. face, face. These are all masks that depict faces, but with the addition of various decorative elements, bright or stylized “make-up”.

La Bauta is one of the popular masks, also in the shape of the face, but with an elongated chin. A cocked hat (tricorno) and a black long cloak must go with the mask.

La Moretta is a female half-face mask, made of dark velvet or velor. To complete the image, a hat and lush decorations are laid, often these are colored or matching feathers.

La Gnaga - these are any masks a la cat / cat. The name of the mask comes from the sound of a cat's meow: gnao/gnau - a variant of miao - meow; gnaulare / miagolare / miaulare - to meow.

Medico della Peste is the plague doctor. Such a mask appeared in medieval times, when plague epidemics hit Venice. Outwardly, the mask resembles a bird's beak (it contained various "drugs" so as not to get infected), and a dark cloak and a stick (so as not to touch the plague hands) complement the Doctor's costume.

Dama di Venezia is no longer even a mask, but a whole image, a costume.

The variegation and festivity of the carnival are given by the characters of the traditional Italian commedia dell'arte:
Commedia del'Arte:
Arlecchino - Harlequin
Colombina - Colombina
Pantalone - Pantalone
Zanni - Zanni (all servant characters): Brigella, Harlequin, Pulcinello.

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For all holidays in Italy there are "own" dishes. Special attitude to carnival desserts.
Dolci carnevaleschi /// Carnival desserts
🍰 Gli arancini (Marche, Ancona). Homemade delicacy, also prepared in small pastry shops. The dough is simple as for egg noodles, but with the addition of juice and orange or lemon zest. Usually deep-fried, but sometimes baked in the oven.

🍰 Il berlingozzo (Toscana). Sweet dessert in the shape of a torus, baked in the oven. Red eggs and lemon or orange zest are added to the dough.

🍰 Le castagnole o favette (Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Marche, Veneto). Deep-fried butter balls with the addition of lemon zest, sprinkled with powdered sugar. They come with a filling of custard or butter cream.

🍰 Il krapfen (Trentino-alto Adige). Berlin donut with different fillings. In the northern regions it is considered a carnival dessert.

🍰 Le frittelle (Veneto). A typical delicacy of the Venice Carnival. Fried balls or small pancakes. Dough: flour, eggs, milk, sugar, raisins, nuts. The Venetian name is la frìtola.

🍰 La cicerchiata (Abruzzo, Marche, Molise, Umbria). Very similar to the Neapolitan Christmas delicacy gli struffoli, but in Abruzzo, Marche and Molise it is prepared for Carnival. Lemon liqueur or juice is added to the dough, and the finished balls are poured with honey and put in the shape of a torus or just curly piles.

🍰 La schiacciata alla fiorentina (Toscana). A typical Florentine dessert. This is a soft cake no more than 3 cm high (important).

🍰 Le chiacchiere (all of Italy). Brushwood is an Italian dessert made during Carnival throughout Italy. Different regions have their own names and variants of recipes and an endless variety of forms and powders.

🍰 Il sanguinaccio al cioccolato (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Marche). A very peculiar dish ... and so much so that it can hardly be called a dessert. This is a sweet cream based on dark chocolate and ... fresh pig blood. It has a characteristic sour taste. Sometimes formed into sausages, sometimes served in liquid form. By the way, in the south of Italy and in Sicily there are desserts with meat or meat products.
BUON CARNEVALE!

© Lara Leto (Ci Siciliano), 2017
© Italy and Italian language. Travel beautifully, learn easily, 2017