Kurentovanje is a Slovenian meat-and-mouth folk ritual in honour of spring and fertility, which is a carnival to banish winter. An analogue of Maslenitsa. The origins of Kurentovanje are doubtful, but it is likely associated with Slavic paganism. Typical dances from the month of March take place in […]
Basel Carnival is part of the city’s identity culturally speaking, it is at the heart of its creative energies and represents three days when the city goes wild. Owing to its uniqueness and quality, it has been added to the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list. In 2021, the Carnival in Basel (Fasnacht) will not take place as usual and will be a little different from the major event that we know and love. More information
Carnival, or the “Fifth Season,” is in full swing in Germany. From Thursday, costumed revelers will be crowding the streets to celebrate parades and never-ending parties. Here is our guide to carnival and its greetings.
Carnival in Cologne is almost as old as the history of the city itself. But it has been celebrated in the organized fashion we know today for only about 190 years. The Greeks and the Romans celebrated joyous spring festivals in honor of Dionysus and Saturn with wine, women and song. The ancient Germans celebrated the winter solstice in order to pay homage to the gods and drive out the evil demons of winter. In later times, the Christians adopted these heathen customs. Lent, the period of fasting before Easter, was ushered in by carnival (carne vale = Farewell to meat!).
The legendary Venetian carnival is in full swing – alas, this year it takes place without tourists, online. Details – in the gallery of “Izvestia”.
The Schuhplattler is a traditional style of folk dance popular in the regions of Bavaria and Tyrol (southern Germany, Austria and the German-speaking regions of northern Italy). In this dance, the performers stomp, clap and strike the soles of their shoes (Schuhe), thighs and knees with their hands held flat (platt). There are more than 150 basic Schuhplattlers, as well as marches and acrobatic feats that are often interspersed with the basic dance in performance. They may be seen today in Europe and in German immigrant communities around the world. While the Schuhplattler is still largely performed by adults, it has become increasingly popular with youngsters, who love its colorful costumes and its bouncing, leaping, kicking and choreographed horseplay.
These festivals are unique and have an incredible energy – everyone has a great time dancing and singing. This particular image was captured at a festival in Botoșani, Romania.
Remember the little Polish village where every house is covered with painted flowers? Well, one 90-year-old resident of Louka, Czech Republic, is aiming to make her hometown just as charming and spends every spring and summer adorning window and door frames with majestic blue flower designs.
On the night of January 18-19, the Russians celebrated an Orthodox holiday – Epiphany and the believers bathed in ice-holes, despite the abnormal frosts that covered many regions of the and including the capital. In Moscow, for example, the air temperature dropped to minus 23 degrees. Some regions have canceled traditional bathing because of the coronavirus, but most officials organised special fonts, near which doctors, rescuers and police were on duty. In the Moscow region, about 220 ice holes were equipped and entrances to them with convenient parking, TASS reports.
On January 19 (January 6, old style) Eastern Christians celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, or Epiphany. Baptism, like Easter, is considered the oldest holiday in Christian culture. This day is associated with the gospel event – the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Here you can read about the history, meaning and traditions of the holiday.
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