Gondolas are an Italian symbol, well-known everywhere. In Venice, plenty of Italian and foreign tourists plan to experience a gondola ride. It’s a perfect way to discover the city, slowly and romantically with one-of-a-kind vantage point.
Today, I will share with you five things, or better, five curiosities you might not have known about gondolas.
1. Gondolas used to not be black
Have you ever asked yourself why gondolas are black? Back in the old times, a boat was a symbol of power and luxury. Nobles used to compete against each other for the most impressive and colorful gondola. For this reason, a law was set. The color black become mandatory to stop the competition of the most luxurious rig. There were high fines for people who disobeyed the law. Since the 16th century they stayed black in color, until present days.
2. A gondola is made out of eight types of wood
The average gondola is about 35 feet and 6 inches long (10.87 m) and five feet wide, and weigh about 1,500 pounds (700kg). Every part of the boat needs to be built with different wood. There are eight types of wood: lime, larch, oak, fir, cherry, walnut, elm and mahogany. It is built this way in order to make the gondola strong and resistant to the currents. Gondolas travel about three miles an hour and take the same energy to row as it does to walk.
3. The gondola bow has a deeper meaning
The distinctive metal prow – ferro di prua – of the gondola is not just an ornamental accessory; it acts as a counter- balance to the weight of the gondolier. Its six teeth known as pettini in Italian, or prongs, are thought to represent the six districts – sestieri – in which Venice is divided. Lastly, the prong that sticks out of the back of the gondola represents the island of Giudecca. Some prows have three additional prongs, which are more ornate and may represent the three islands of Venice. Wait, Venice has three islands? Yes! They are Burano, Murano and Torcello.
4. History shows Venice had thousands of gondolas
If you have ever visited Venice and were surprised by the many gondolas in the canals, you should have seen it in the past. The canals of Venice were once home to as many as 10,000 gondolas; today there are just over 400!
5. It’s not very easy to become a gondolier
Just like the title says, becoming a gondolier is not easy at all. People who want to start this profession have to complete over 400 hours of training, and then pass a rigorous test to prove they have the right skills for the job. Every year the city of Venice issues only between three to four gondolier licenses!
I hope, after reading this post, you learned something you didn’t know about gondolas. Next time you go to Venice, pay attention to those details and feel free to share new curiosities you found.
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