ITALY: Thousands gather to watch Angel's flight from bell tower during Venice Carnival

Record ID: 539566

  • Title: ITALY: Thousands gather to watch Angel's flight from bell tower during Venice Carnival
  • Date: 23rd February 2014
  • Summary: VENICE, ITALY (FEBRUARY 23 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS PEOPLE POSING IN MASKS IN ST. MARK'S SQUARE CROWDS IN ST. MARK'S SQUARE VARIOUS PARADE OF FLAG THROWERS CROWDS WATCHING THE SPECTACLE WOMAN WITH MASK WATCHING PARADE OF PEOPLE DRESSED IN HISTORICAL COSTUMES PARADE OF DRUMMERS VARIOUS PARADE INCLUDING KING OF THE CARNIVAL WITH SUNSHADE OVER HIS HEAD PERSON DRESSED AS HARLEQUIN MASKED PERSON PEERING THROUGH CROWD CROWDS WATCHING VARIOUS KING AND QUEEN OF CARNIVAL POSING (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COSTUMED ITALIAN VISITOR ANDREA SAYING: "It's beautiful, we have been travelling around different parts of the country but Venice is the most beautiful." VARIOUS MASKED WOMAN IN ELABORATE COSTUME HOLDING FEATHERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TOURIST MARC SAYING: "It is magnificent. You have to get here on time, otherwise you can't see anything, but basically it's very, very beautiful. We are waiting for midday and the descent of the Angel. Some of the costumes are wonderful." PEOPLE IN COSTUMES (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST VALERIE SAYING: "It is very beautiful, very colourful, a lot of people, most people are with masks which is very nice also. Everybody is participating that is very nice." VARIOUS PERSON DRESSED IN 'SCREAM' MASK ST. MARK'S BELL TOWER WOMAN LOOKING UP ANGEL AT TOP OF ST. MARK'S BELL TOWER CROWDS OF VISITORS LOOKING UP HOLDING CAMERAS
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA65QE3LRLZ810G60MP03KZ7RMM
  • Story Text: Visitors gathered in Saint Mark's Square in Venice on Sunday (February 23) to watch one of the highlights of the Italian city's carnival - 'The Flight of the Angel' in which a beauty pageant winner dressed in a carnival costume descends from the bell tower of Saint Mark's Basilica.
    During the seventeen days of carnival, the lagoon city fills with thousands of tourists from across Italy and the world.
    Many of the visitors to the city were keen to put on their masks and join in the festivities.
    The Carnevale di Venezia is among the oldest carnivals in the world. Carnival madness first began centuries ago as a period of excess before the rigours of lent, the 40 days of fasting that traditionally precede Easter. Venetians could then hide their identities behind masks and do as they pleased. It was a pressure valve to ease class tensions, allowing the poor, for a brief and controlled period, to break Venice's rigid, oligarchical social order.
    Masked balls are held in ancient Venetian palaces while concerts and gondola parades are organised in the piazzas and canals. The use of masks in Venice have several historic origins. In the eighteenth century masks were used by noblemen in order to keep anonymity whilst voting on council matters.
    At noon Saint Mark's Square was packed, waiting for this year's angel, Julia Nasi a 22 year old student to fly down the wire.
    The ceremony used to be called the flight of the Turk and dates back to five centuries ago when a young Turkish acrobat walked a tight rope stretched from a ship anchored at the pier of St. Mark's Square all the way to the top of the St. Mark's bell tower.
    It is almost impossible not to be impressed by the beauty of Venice.
    "It's beautiful, we have been travelling around different parts of the country but Venice is the most beautiful," said Andrea who regularly travels around Italy but is always keen to come back to Venice.
    French tourist Marc was surprised by how popular the carnival was on Sunday.
    "It is magnificent. You have to get here on time, otherwise you can't see anything," he said.
    "but basically it's very, very beautiful. We are waiting for midday and the descent of the Angel. Some of the costumes are wonderful," Marc added.
    Another visitor Valerie was surprised at how many people were dressed up or in masks.
    "It is very beautiful, very colourful, a lot of people, most people are with masks which is very nice also. Everybody is participating that is very nice," she said.
    Against a brilliant blue sky, the Angel dressed in sumptuous blue gown and covered in flowers elegantly descended the rope from the Bell Tower to screams and shouts from the crowds gathered below in St. Mark's Square.
    She waved and smiled to the crowds, acknowledging their presence as heavenly music accompanied her flight.
    Julia looked somewhat relieved to be back with her feet on the ground, but she continued to smile and wave as the crowds stopped holding their breath and began to applaud.
    Carnival was first held in Venice in the 11th century and consisted of over two months of revelry, until it fell into decline during the 18th century. It was revived in 1979 with great success and nowadays it is a great excuse to don a mask and costume, parade around the city and enjoy the live music in the main squares of the city. It has also boosted tourism in what used to be a rather lean period between Christmas and Easter.
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