Today, Roman police seized about 2 million masks and other carnival attributes that do not meet established standards. According to preliminary estimates by experts, smuggled goods pose a direct threat to health: they are highly flammable due to the high content of cyclohexanone.
Holders of low-quality masks can get burns on their faces, as well as get discomfort when breathing. Experts say that cyclohexanone can have a special negative effect on the children's body, greatly irritating the mucous membranes, upper respiratory tract, eyes and skin. Metropolitan carabinieri have already detained four Chinese businessmen on suspicion of importing dangerous products into Italy.
Recall that now in full swing is the famous Venice Carnival. Yesterday, thousands of residents and guests of the city on the water gathered in the central square of San Marco (San Marco) to watch the ceremony "Flight of the Angel" (Volo Dell'Angelo). From the high bell tower, which is located in the very center of Venice, a girl symbolizing an angel descended into the crowd. Authorities have already calculated that 105 thousand people. It is worth noting that almost 130 thousand tourists came to the carnival in the most romantic city in Italy, which greatly impeded city traffic. Last year, only 70–90 thousand people attended the “Flight of the Angel” ceremony.
See high-resolution photos in the Venice Carnival album on our official Facebook page.
The Venice Carnival is one of the most famous and oldest carnivals in the world. This year it runs from February 15 to March 4, but all the most anticipated events are scheduled for February 22. The carnival in Venice was first mentioned in official sources in 1094, but this does not mean that until then it did not exist.
Historians believe that only in 1662, the carnival began to be held regularly with an interval of one year.
And already in 1296, the Venetian way to have fun received the status of a public holiday. By the way, Italians used to love this way of entertainment. So, in the Middle Ages, residents of a sunny country with their heads went into festive euphoria for six whole weeks! In those days, when the abyss between the rich and poor was especially visible, carnival masks served as a special way to erase all faces.
Under the guise of masks, Italians could afford anything without revealing their true identity.
However, a grand celebration was not always at the peak of popularity. In the 18th century it fell into decay, it was forgotten for many years. Only at the end of the 20th century the Venice Carnival managed to regain its former popularity. Needless to say, in recent years it has only multiplied many times over? This is evidenced by the myriad of tourists who are in a hurry to plunge into the mystical and mysterious world of fun. Local authorities are well aware of this, therefore, they are venomously advertising the most significant event in Venice of the year, trying to attract more and more foreigners and improve the image of the city.
