Originally the gondolas had colored hulls and were very luxurious boats so much that the Senate of the Serenissima between 1500 and 1600, imposed various sumptuary laws to limit the excessive pomp and established over time, that the gondolas were black.
This would disprove the fact that the black color of the gondolas had been used, as a sign of mourning, following the consequences of a plague epidemic.
The construction of a gondola took place and takes place in the squeri (small construction sites) and takes about a year. The gondola’s hull is made up of 280 pieces. For its construction we use only wood (once the nails were also made of wood) It is about 11 meters long and one of its main features is to have an asymmetrical shape, that is to have a greater inclination on the right side to allow only the rower, which is standing at the stern of the gondola, to have more ease in maneuvering it .
The only oar maneuvered by the gondolier is resting on the fòrcola (scalmo) inserted in its housing.
The “fero da prova or dolfin” (bow iron) with its curved shape represents the ducal horn while the popular legend has it that the six teeth arranged in a comb on the iron and facing the water remind the sestieri of Venice while the tooth facing inwards it would represent the Giudecca and the arch placed above the highest tooth of the comb representing the Rialto bridge.
The current shape of the gondola can be started between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Until the early years of the twentieth century the gondolas were equipped with a felze, a cabin that served to shelter both from the cold, from the rain and even from the sun. The gondola, today, is mainly used for tourist purposes but is also used by the Venetians as a ferry to go from one bank to the other of the Grand Canal. The construction of a gondola took place and takes place in the squeri (small construction sites) and takes about a year.
The gondola’s hull is made up of 280 pieces. For its construction we use only wood (once the nails were also made of wood) It is about 11 meters long and one of its main features is to have an asymmetrical shape, that is to have a greater inclination on the right side to allow only the rower, which is standing at the stern of the gondola, to have more ease in maneuvering it .
The only oar maneuvered by the gondolier is resting on the fòrcola (scalmo) inserted in its housing. The trial or dolfin (bow iron) with its curved shape represents the ducal horn while the popular legend has it that the six teeth arranged in a comb on the iron and facing the water remind the sestieri of Venice while the tooth turned towards the inside would represent the Giudecca and the arch placed above the highest tooth of the comb represents the Rialto bridge.
The current shape of the gondola can be started between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Until the early years of the twentieth century the gondolas were equipped with a felze, a cabin that served to shelter both from the cold, from the rain and even from the sun.
The gondola, today, is mainly used for tourist purposes but is also used by the Venetians as a ferry to go from one bank to the other of the Grand Canal.
When used for sporting purposes, the gondola is replaced by the gondolino which has two rowers, it is a little narrower, a little lower and symmetrical than the gondola and this is to take full advantage of the flat water of the race field.
The gondolino, considered the “formula one” among the boats, is the great protagonist of the Historical Regatta that takes place on the first Sunday of September.
