The Carnival of Venice dates back to the 12th century, supposedly to celebrate and memorialize a military victory. In 1797, the festival was outlawed under the rule of the King of Austria. The carnival was reinstated by the Italian government in 1979 to revive this lost treasure of the culture of Venice. Today the festival is a major tourism draw, with an estimated 3 million visitors participating in the festivities. The most notable aspect of the carnival is the ornate masks and costumes worn by its participants.
The 2014 Carnival of Venice ran from February 15–March 4, and Italian Epoch Times photographer Marius Iacob was on the scene to capture these images of carnival-goers.
A mask on sale at a shop in the Rialto Bridge, during the Carnival of Venice. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
Masks and costumes during the Carnival of Venice. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
A man shows off his carnival costume in St. Mark’s Square. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
Masked carnival participants during the Carnival of Venice. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
Masked carnival participants during the Carnival of Venice. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
A woman shows off her carnival costume in St. Mark’s Square.(Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
People in carnival costumes and Venetian gondolas on February 23, 2014.(Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
Venetian Mask on the Rialto Bridge. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
Carnival-goers in full costume during the Carnival of Venice. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
Carnival participants in costume near the Rialto Bridge on February 23, 2014. (Marius Iacob/Epoch Times)
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