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Doge's Palace
around the little island
Salute - Venice
nice architectural solution, the roof window.Masks for the Carnival
Wearing of masks in Venice (masquerading) began all the way in 1268 and it had to do with the relentless moral decline of the people of Venice. From the early 14th century new laws started to be promulgated to restrict masquerading especially during the night (men used to dress as women and enter the houses of young Venetians with "immoral thoughts"). Wearing of masks was limited only during the Carnival and official banquets. From 1608, the penalties were very heavy, for men it was 2 years jail time, 18 months galley-rowing and also a 500 lire fine. As for women, they were whipped from San Marco to Rialto, then they were banned to enter Venetian territory for 4 years and they had to pay the 500 lire fine. There are so many stores in Venice selling masks, from the little ones (7 euros), made in plastic, to the standard ones - face size - from 20 to 75 euros, depending if they are made of simple plastic, or other cast material, to the more complicate to process ones, that could be a real Carnival mask, that can cost anywhere from 75 euros up to 200. These masks in the picture were phenomenal - the woman with a superb crafted mask with stones, and the man wearing a lion head mask, looking heavy and very impressive.
