Gondola
For other uses, see Gondola (disambiguation)A gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat. Gondolas were for centuries the chief means of transportation within Venice and still have a role in public transport, serving as traghetti'' (ferries) over major canals.
The gondola is propelled by an oarsman (the
gondolier) who stands facing the bow and pushes, rather than pulls, a single
oar. Contrary to popular belief the gondola is never poled, the waters of Venice being too deep for that. A gondola for passengers may have a small open cabin, for their protection against sun or rain. A
sumptuary law of Venice required that gondolas should be painted black, and they are customarily so painted now.
It is estimated that there were several thousand gondolas during the 18th century. There are a few hundred nowadays, most of which are for hire by tourists, while a few serve as
traghetti or are in private ownership and use.
The construction of the gondola has continued to evolve until the late 19th century, when motorised boats began to replace gondolas in Venice. A gondola is long and narrow, with an asymmetrical outline to facilitate propulsion with a single oar, and a good deal of
rocker to minimise the area of contact with the water. The oar or
remo is held in an oar lock known as a
forcola. The forcola is of a complicated shape, allowing several positions of the oar for slow forward rowing, powerful forward rowing, turning, slowing down and rowing backwards. The iron ornament on the front of the boat is called the
ferro. It serves to protect the prow from accidental damage, as decoration and as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern.
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Gondolier's workshop, Dorsoduro, Venice |
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History of the gondola
