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***image1***Each time my husband and I visit Venice, Italy, we experience something new. This trip, during the festival of Carnival, proved no different. For those unfamiliar with Carnival it is a multiday pre-Lenten festival that leads up to Ash Wednesday.
Carnival is believed to date back to the 11th century and was celebrated until the 18th century when Napoleon brought an end to the Venetian Republic in 1797. It wasn’t until 1978 that a group of artists opened the first modern mask shop and renewed the festival of Carnival along with the donning of costumes and masks.
The use of masks began as a means of people to hide their identities. Many nobles would beg on street corners in secrecy. Masks also allowed shunned lower classes to interact with upper classes anonymously. The variety of masks is only limited by the designer’s imagination. Many are purely fantasy but some are based on historical figures or periods of time.
One mask that is very popular is the “volto” that is all white. It can be a whole mask or half mask which covers only the eyes and nose. Another traditional Venetian mask is the “plague doctor” mask with its exaggeratedly sized penguin-shaped beak. The beak was believed to protect the wearer from the plague.
Small groups of lavishly decorated figures slowly meander through winding alleys stopping only to pose for photographers. Upon following these hauntingly beautiful costumes, one is led to the vast openness of San Marcos square. It is here, in the only true square in Venice, that a feast for the eyes is laid out. We saw dozens of colorfully disguised “Venetians” slowly walking among the columns of the basilica.
***image2***Rounding the corner from San Marcos is the Bridge of Sighs. Here we found more party-goers happy to accommodate visitors by posing on bridges or among the pier. I wondered how the prisoners of centuries past felt as they crossed the Bridge of Sighs heading toward the prison knowing this view was their last look at freedom.
Going to Venice during Carnival provides a theatrical aura to an already mystical city; however, visiting Venice any time is still a treat to the senses. The cobbled stone walks sandwiched between hundreds of shops and apartments make you feel as though you are on the set of a movie. Most of the major highlights can be seen within a day; however, there are hundreds of sleeping accommodations ranging from hostels to elaborate hotels for those who wish to stay overnight and enjoy a Venetian opera or an exquisite dinner of fresh seafood.
Venice may not be the cheapest city to visit but it is well worth the cost. It is one of the few places in the world that fantasy and reality intertwine. If you plan on attending next year’s Carnival, the dates are Feb. 21 to 28.
Oh, and don’t forget your mask!
