Carnival of Venice
The Carnival of Venice has got under way in the iconic Italian city, with a stunning show staged on its famous canals. It draws thousands of revellers every year, dressed in masks and period costumes.
Gondolas on the canale
The canals come alive as boats surge forward during the water parade. This year's grand opener was the staging of an aquatic performance. In an homage to the ocean and the moon, a mythical 'Queen of the Sea' emerged from the waters of the central Cannaregio Canal, with her entourage of fantastical sea creatures .
Atmospheric opening
According to organizers, the show was about celebrating "the beauty, the sea and the vanity." It provided the grand opening for one of the world's most celebrated carnivals. Some of the performers, sporting blue butterfly wings, appeared to be suspended in the air, as gondoliers carried torches below.
Popular tourist destination
The Venice carnival is thought to have started in 1162. Abandoned for decades, it was resurrected in 1980. During the carnival period around 3 million people visit Venice, a city of 850,000 inhabitants.
Mysterious lady in red
Compared with other carnival celebrations, which mostly feature fun parades with dancers and clowns, Venice's festivity is always surrounded by an air of mystery. The festivities include masked balls, gondola parades, a beauty contest and other festivities around the city.
Incognito in a gondola
Elaborately costumed people move through the canal-laced city. The period costumes are often made in damasks, brocades and silks, and the famous Venetian masks are essential to any winning ensemble.
Different types of masks
There are different kinds of mask: the "bauta" is a heavily gilded full mask, often with a beak-like chin. It is designed to enable the wearer to talk, eat, and drink without having to remove it. The "colombina" is a half-mask, which is often decorated with silver, gold and feathers. While both men and women now wear this mask, it was originally a feminine counterpoint to the "bauta".
Flamboyant costumes
Revellers get together in the famous Café Florian coffee shop in St. Mark's square. Perhaps the carnival's most popular event is the so-called "flight of the angel," which usually takes place the weekend before Fat Thursday, the Catholic feast marking the last chance to eat and be merry before the beginning of the Lent fast.
Angel flight
In the re-enactment of a tradition that has its roots in the Renaissance, the winner of the previous year's beauty contest swings down on a wire from St Mark's Tower and lands in the middle of the crowd in St Mark's Square.
Carabiniere at San Marco Piazza
On the security front, officials have said that anti-terrorism units are being deployed at key artistic and historic sites throughout the city center, where thousands are expected to gather to watch the performances and parades.