The Most Famous Boat in the World
A gentle, quiet trip through the little canals of Venice takes you back hundreds of years
Venetians have been moving about their watery city in gondolas since the eleventh century. These beautiful boats have flat bottoms which make them ideal for use in the shallow lagoon and canals. They are 10.85 metres long, with a beam of 1.40 metres and weigh about 350 kilograms. Gondoliers, who usually come from a family of generations of gondoliers, are highly trained in their knowledge of Venice and her history and in the skill required to be able to manoeuvre around narrow canals and managing to set off, take right-angle turns, make slow or sudden stops, go sideways or backwards - without changing position. The slightly lopsided curve of the hull with the degree of curvature based on the weight of the gondolier, and the fact that he rows only from the right hand side, ensures that the boat doesn't go round in circles.
A squero is the boatyard where gondolas are made and repaired, there are only a couple left in Venice these days and they are manned by busy, working craftsmen with no time for tourists - in the nicest possible way! However you can gain a glimpse from across the canal next to the Church of San Trovaso to see a little of the Squero San Trovaso. Velvet and gold - the lap of luxury....
Gondolas are made completely by hand and still using ancient methods. It is a lengthy process with completion taking about a year. They are built from around 280 wooden pieces, using a variety of wood, including oak, fir, walnut, cherrywood, larch, elm-root, and limetree. The Fórcole - the oarlock used for Venetian rowing is made from walnut.
It comes in countless forms depending on the size and rowing style of the gondolier and whether it will be used for work, for recreation or for regattas.
In early paintings, the gondola often had a cabin called a felse which was useful in the winter or during the night. It came with a burner. The felse was used to protect the passengers - mostly nobility - from the cold and from prying eyes. I suspect that these little hidden cabins were used for all sorts of liaisons over the years until they disappeared in the 1950's.
A painting by Canaletto showing the cabins on the gondolas
The fero on the bow is mostly decorative on the modern gondola although it was used as a counterweight originally. It represents the City of Venice with the doge's hat at the top and the six sestieri or districts underneath: Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Marco, San Polo and Santa Croce.
Every gondola is beautifully crafted and completely hand made, this is the fero on the prow
Venetoinside: You can book a gondola ride on this website, or just wait until you are in Venice, the gondoliers are everywhere
The History of the Gondola: An interesting site with plenty of history
