Carnival of Venice 2020

Do you want to know exactly when and where will take place the Venice Carnival 2025?

The Carnival of Venice 2020, one of the most famous and appreciated carnivals in the world, will take place between 8 and 25 February 2020, in the beautiful city of Venice.

On this occasion, for 18 days in a row, we will have the pleasure to admire many wonderful masks and costumes, worn by hundreds of thousands of people coming from all over the world to parade through the narrow streets of Venice.

SHORT HISTORY

The first information about a carnival in Venice dates back to 1094, when the word carnevale was mentioned for the first time in a document signed by the Doge Vitale Faliero. Back then, the carnival was an event dedicated in particular to the people from the lower classes, who, through the anonymity guaranteed by masks, could relate with the nobility of the time.

The first official document declaring the Carnival of Venice a public holiday dates back to 1296, when the Senate of the Republic set it before Lent. Starting with that moment, for the next few hundred years, the Carnival lasted six weeks, usually between December 26 and Ash Wednesday.

During the 18th century, the Venice Carnival reached its maximum splendor and international recognition, becoming famous throughout the Europe, and Venice a destination that attracted thousands of visitors.

Starting with 1797, when Napoleon conquered the northern part of Italy, including Venice, and later, during the subsequent Austrian occupation, the tradition was interrupted for fear of rebellion. Only on the islands of the Venice Lagoon, such as Murano and Burano, the Carnival was held, though in a more subtle manner.

Only in 1979, almost two centuries later, the centuries-old tradition of the Venice Carnival was officially reborn, thanks to the initiative of some citizen associations and the economic contribution of the Municipality of Venice.

The individual annual editions of the new Carnival have often been dedicated to a basic theme. Some editions were characterized by pairings with other Italian and European cities, thus providing a further involvement of the event at an international level.

MAIN EVENTS

Just like in the past years, the highlights of the Venice Carnival 2020 are:

February 8-9 – Venetian Feast on Water, the grand opening of the carnival;

February 15 – Festa delle Marie;

February 16 – Flight of the Angel (Volo dell’Angelo);

February 23 – Flight of the Eagle (Volo dell’Aquila);

February 23 – Best Mask Contest, the Grand Final.