Venice Carnival from February 26 to March 8, 2011 
The Grand Canal - The Basilica
The Rialto - the gondolas
I can not get the Carnival of Venice but at this time of Mardi Gras and carnival is an opportunity to discuss the festival that took place in 2011 from February 26 to March 8 (day of Mardi Gras ) and remember my last visit to Venice in 2009 and during the carnival in 2000!
In addition to being one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Venice has one of the most prestigious and famous carnivals! Already mentioned 1094, the Senate prescribed 1269 the eve of Lent is a holiday ( Mardi Gras).
The eighteenth century was the golden age of Carnival: its festivals, shows and masks at the time already attracted thousands of visitors from all over Europe.
Yet all these festivities were abolished with the fall of the Republic, under the rule of Napoleon, in 1797 . The second Austrian government (1815-1866) rehabilitates the party but it is no longer the staging of major themes, the collective transgression of prohibitions. Rather it is a parade where everyone tries to express his individuality. Parallel to these developments, Venice becomes expensive aux romantiques.
En 1866 . Venise est alors rattachée au royaume d'Italie et le carnaval disparaît de nouveau. Il fallut attendre 1979 pour que le Carnaval de Venise renaisse.
Inspiré par la commedia dell'arte, le déguisement traditionnel est la bauta (costume typiquement vénitien), comprenant le tabarro (longue cape noire), la larva (masque le plus souvent blanc, typiquement vénitien) et le tricorne , ou encore le masque d'Arlequin (son habit est coloré à losanges : au XVIe siècle, loin d'être élégant, l'habit était just patched to include the rags of a beggar). Formerly, all these disguises enabled the Venetians, whatever their social condition, to participate in the festivities.
the bauta - the tabarro - larva - staghorn - the mask of Harlequin
Traditionally, the carnival is held during the 12 days preceding the Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent .
Memories Carnival of the end of the century in 2000 :
