Began in the Middle Ages, the Roman Carnival, however, saw its maximum splendour after the election of Pope Paul II, who, after the transfer of the papal residence at the Palazzo Venezia, moved to the historical centre, and in particular on via Lata (now Via del Corso ), most of the carnival celebrations.
The Commedia dell'arte, mask parades, Agonal Games, carnival floats, jousts and tournaments, the highly anticipated Berber horse races and the “moccoletti” attracted the entire population, but also pilgrims and curious people from around the world. With the arrival of the House of Savoy in Rome in 1870, the Carnival began to decline, especially because of the many incidents that occurred during the games and of the many people who were wounded.
The Carnival in Rome took place in Piazza Navona, where recreational performances and fireworks were organized; Piazza del Popolo, starting point of the most important event of the Carnival: the Berber horse races; Via del Corso, along which the race ran and ended at Piazza Venezia.
The immortality of Roman carnival was praised by writers and poets such as Goethe, Gogol, Stendhal, Dickens and Dumas, and by the painting of Caffi, Shor and Orlov.
