The Carnival of Venice, or 'Carnevale di Venezia' in Italian, dates back to the late 13th century. Traditionally, the people of Venezia spent much of their year in disguise, and maskmakers, or 'mascherari,' enjoyed a special status in the floating city. In the late 18th century, Venice was taken over by the Austrians, effectively bringing an end to the festivities and the city's prominence on the world stage. The celebrations continued their relative slumber into the twentieth century, when the fascist Italian government outlawed them in the 1930s. A modern mask shop founded in the 1980s helped bring a Renaissance to Carnevale, and it is still going strong to this day, inspiring photographers and costume-lovers around the world. Carnevale runs January 25, 2008 - Tuesday, February 05, 2008.