The Bacanal del Gnoco or the Carnival of Verona which is considered among the carnival events oldest in Europe. The calendar of the 2023 edition respects tradition with the usual appointments: the gnoccolada, the historic ride and the Friday gnocolar complete with parades of floats and Masks. This year Verona celebrates Carnival with a month of events at the Giardino d'estate. In fact, for the 493rd edition of the Bacanal del Gnoco the large Carnival Village is active for the joy of young and old.
Bacanal del Gnoco
Dating back to the late Middle Ages, the Verona Carnival (Bacanàl del Gnoco) traces its origins back to the times of Tomaso Vico, a 1520th-century doctor who left in his testamentary legacy the obligation to distribute annually to the population of the San Zeno district (where find the Basilica of the same name) food and supplies. In the "Istoria Veronese" written by Girolamo Dalla Corte it is narrated that, due to devastating floods of the Adige (1531-XNUMX) and the incursions of the Landsknechts of Charles V who fought Francis I in Lombardy, the city of Verona was reduced to a unprecedented famine. Given the circumstances and the precariousness in finding raw materials, the "pistori" (bakers) had increased their price for the production of bread.
But, the population didn't even have the money to buy bread and the bakers decided to stop production, not even selling the ready-made bread. But on 18 June 1531 the people rose up in San Zeno, attacking the bakers and grabbing bread and wheat. The general revolt was averted thanks to the intervention of some citizens, who at their own expense decided to refresh the poorest inhabitants of the neighborhood. Tradition says that among the elected there was also Da Vico, indicated as "instructor and restorer" of the "Baccanale del Gnocco", having voluntarily distributed food to the "sansenati". In the San Zeno square there is a stone table where the poor were invited on the Friday before Lent. The table is called Venardi Consolàr (Friday comforter) from which the carnival term is derived Friday Gnocolar.
(Images of the City of Verona/Carnival of Verona)
