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The flight of the Angel

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The tradition of Angel's flight found its origins in mid-16th century when a Turkish acrobat, during an edition of Carnival, travelled, only with the help of a barbell, a rope suspended between a boat moored on the quayside of the square and the top of Saint Mark’s bell tower

The venture, called Svolo del Turco made quite a sensation and had a large following, much to enter stably in the programming of the Carnival with some variations that predicted for many years no longer a daring acrobatic walk, but a dizzying descent of a man with wings and hung with rope rings, hoisted and lowered at high speed along the rope. Was thus coined the new term Angel Flight and the choosen brave received, at the end of the enterprise, gifts and money by the Doge. When in 1759 the svolo ended in tragedy, the practice was prohibited and the flight of the Angel was replaced by the Flight of the dove, which provided the replacement of Acrobat with a big wooden Dove that, during his journey, scattered flowers, confetti and sweets on the crowd below.

In the modern Carnival has resumed the tradition of Volo della Colombina, but while in the past this event was celebrated on fat Tuesday, in modern editions was performed generally by noon on the first Sunday of the festivity.

Starting from the 2001 (first edition of Millennium) has returned to celebrate the variant of Angel's flight with a person instead of the wooden Dove, personified as from 2011 by Maria previous Carnival winner.

This year will be Claudia Macdonald to assume the role of the new Angel of the 2017 Edition that on 19 February from 12:00 at 13:00 will officially open the festivities.

 

To access the full schedule of events click here.

Thanks to Chinellato study for the photographic (www.chinellatophoto.it)

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