Venice Gondolas: Everything you ever wanted to know about the most romantic transport in the world. Traditional boats: gondolas

Someone dreams of getting acquainted with the beautiful architecture of the city on the water, someone wants to tie the knot here, and someone goes to Venice to plunge into the culture of this place and learn as much as possible about its traditions and features. In addition to outstanding architecture and landscapes amazing beauty, of course, Venice is famous for being located on the islands in a wonderful and picturesque lagoon, surrounded on all sides by water. Venetian gondolas, cutting through the waves of the lagoon, are often called the most beautiful boats in the world and are considered a “calling card” - one of the main ones. About them today will be discussed.

For many centuries appearance popular river transport Venice has changed several times. The current gondola is the result of a long process of "boat evolution" and adaptation to the needs of citizens and the changing quality of the water. The history of the city and the history of this type of ships are closely intertwined.

The first mention of the gondola dates back to 1094, when the Doge of Venice Vitale Falier (Vitale Falier) granted some residents of the city a charter for the right to build gondolas. Despite the fact that the sources documenting the appearance of Venetian ships are very old, they still fully describe what unusual boats looked like in ancient times. By the way, they were strikingly different from modern gondolas, as they were painted in different colors. However, after 1562 the color of the hull became black, which it remains to this day. Historians believe that this color was used by the Venetians as a mourning element, reminding them of the victims of the terrible plague that attacked the city. The disease receded, but the inhabitants of Venice were so accustomed to dark boats that they did not change their color.

In the late 1400s, gondolas closely resembled other types of water transport used at that time in the Venetian lagoon. It was not until the early 1500s that the appearance of this type of boat began to change due to the fact that they were commonly used to transport the local poor. By the late 1600s, gondolas took on much the same shape as we see today. In the 1800s, some technical innovations were added to their hull, asymmetrical design, for example, allows gondoliers to easily control the vessel, deftly maneuvering between other boats.

A few decades ago, gondolas were equipped with wooden cabins called "felze" and attached to the center of the hull. Such a structure was erected on boats in bad weather to shelter passengers from the rain, but it was soon recognized as unnecessary: ​​the cabin prevented the gondoliers from seeing the road. By the way, today gondolas are used exclusively by tourists. According to some estimates, today the waves of the magnificent Venetian lagoon cut through about fifty gondolas, which is half as many as in 1580.

Symbols and details

Every detail of the gondola symbolizes something. The decorators of the Middle Ages attached particular importance to forged and metal parts, combining elegance and practicality. For example, the iron prow of the ship, the “ferro da prora’”, usually in an s-shape, which resembles the curves of the Canal Grande, was created so that the gondolier could use his weight to balance the boat. Also on the gondolas there is a counterweight standard with six teeth, which symbolize the six districts of Venice.

Gondoliers

Tourists who come to Venice may mistakenly assume that all gondolas are very, very similar or even the same. However, it is not. In fact, these amazing "black swans" are made according to some parameters officially approved by the city authorities, and everything else is made exclusively for a specific rower.

Gondoliers always work on their own boats, the cost of which, by the way, is quite high: from 25 to 75 thousand euros. Unique Profession The gondola rower is passed down from generation to generation. But blood ties are not enough to bring tourists on a beautiful boat. To obtain a special license, you must complete a 9-month training course for gondoliers, and at the end of them, pass a serious and difficult exam. Moreover, applicants for gondola driving are also required to prove their knowledge in English. And only then will representatives of the mayor's office agree to consider the application for a license. It is worth noting the fact that the gondola is a man's business. However, there are cases in history when the fair sex became the stern of the Venetian "swans".

• Modern gondolas are both similar and different at the same time. As mentioned above, the Venice City Hall has set the standards by which boats are built. They all weigh 700 kilograms and consist of 280 pieces cut from eight different types wood: oak, elm, lime, larch, fir, cherry, walnut and mahogany.
• There are several versions explaining the black color of modern gondolas. According to one of them, the mayor's office signed a decree prohibiting the painting of boats black in order to put an end to the serious struggle that unleashed between the representatives of the Venetian elite. The thing is that wealthy gondola owners used to try to decorate their boats in one way or another in order to demonstrate their viability to everyone and everyone. According to the second version, the black color of the gondolas denotes the sorrow of the Venetians who survived the terrible plague that claimed thousands of people.
• Famous writers and poets regularly compared the "black swans" of Venice with coffins. And some studies confirm that the Venetians associate gondolas with death.
• The first female gondolier was licensed to drive this mode of transport in 2010. Giorgia Boscolo, 24-year-old daughter of a 40-year-old "veteran" gondolier, continued her father's path. The German woman Alex Hai also intended to get an unusual profession, but the girl failed to pass the exam in ship management.
• One Venetian company offers tourists to teach them how to drive gondolas. Row Venice agrees to provide a professional gondolier who will tell you the basics of his work in an hour and a half, and will also help you consolidate what you hear in practice. At your disposal will not be given a gondola, but another boat, which, however, is almost an exact analogue of " business card» Venice. Row Venice website: www.rowvenice.com
• Instead of riding a gondola, tourists can also go to the Squero San Trovaso shipyard, where new boats are built and old ones are serviced. It can take about 500 hours to make one gondola, so there are only 20 more black swans per year in Venice.
• If you want to see the gondolas not in the process of being made, but in all their grandeur, you should definitely visit Venice on the first Saturday of September. On this day, the Grand Canal hosts a parade of decorated gondolas and their rowers. Moreover, the historical Regatta Storica is also held here, as well as a competition between Venetian boats.

How much does it cost to ride a gondola?

Usually paddlers charge 80 euros for a 40-minute ride, however this is the cost of renting the entire boat.

So, for example, if you are traveling with four friends, the fare will cost 20 euros each. However, remember that the number of seats in the gondolas is always limited. Moreover, in the evening the cost of the trip increases (within 20 euros).

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How wrong were the Europeans - treasure seekers, embarking on a dangerous unknown in search of countless diamonds with emeralds! The treasury full of jewels was very close - between the Alps and the Mediterranean. Her name is . The Lord was pleased to create this country in the shape of a boot. This thought came to him not by chance: the Creator decided to fill it with a huge number of magical gifts. So Italy absorbed all the splendor of prehistoric times, the eras of antiquity and the Middle Ages, the "new" centuries. She was destined to play the role, perhaps, of the main European attraction. How many "Oscars" Italy has collected for it, probably no one will say today, not a single photo, not a single map.

Venice - a priceless decoration of the Italian boot

If Italy is a gift boot, then, by far, the most tempting present in it is Venice. The city of Epithets, the capital of Uniqueness, the country of Romance and the universe of Majesty. Sung by the best sons of different eras, this luxurious young lady becomes even more alluring and reverent with every century. Venice is a mysterious map, an exquisite fresco, fairy palace, painting, exquisite sculpture.

From " mainland Nothing separates it, but in this city everything is different from the rest of Italy and the rest of the world. When the faces of most cities are turned to heavenly horizons, endless fields and harsh mountain ranges, our heroine - wise, inspired and with a touch of sadness - looks into the water surface. With love, hope and faith.

Regal serenity spread over 118 islands

What area is enough to contain all the serenity of the world? Anyone who has fallen in love with the sights of Italy forever knows the correct answer - exactly 118 islands. Venice was located on them. Nature and history - wise ladies: highlighting mainland for the local industry, they skillfully scattered everything of cultural value over the picturesque islands.

The role of the "veins" of the body of Venice was assigned to the channels and ducts. The map of the city says: in total there are 150 of them in the city, all domestic transportation is carried out through them. A bright stroke in the overall picture was the elements without which today one cannot imagine the sights of Venice and with which numerous photos are full - 400 exquisite bridges connecting different parts of the Venetian lagoon. The local islands have long been elevated to the rank of places of worship by tourists, representatives of the global film industry, masters of photography, architecture, painting, and simply true connoisseurs of beauty. It was they who called Venice a special name - "Serene".

The face of Venice: longed-for reality in a haze of imagination

When people who have not yet been to famous city on the water, it turns out in the hands of a photo or a map with local attractions, the same thought comes to their heads - to know the essence of this island diva. Does it really exist? Is it true that its bridges are so romantic and its canals a little sad? What in him could captivate the minds of Byron, Madame de Stael, Hemingway, Maupassant, Thomas Mann? While exploring the local sights, tourists never cease to be amazed by the flower-strewn balconies and angels decorating the old wells;

It seems that the charms of the main decoration of the Adriatic can be admired endlessly, because every house, every street, palaces and museums, theaters and cathedrals breathes uniqueness in it - unparalleled sights of mankind.

From the garden field to the symbols of the most beautiful city

It is often said that the charms of Venice are Italy itself. And a constant assistant in their study is a map on which all local attractions are indicated. So, we stock up on impressions, clear the memory of cameras for unforgettable photos and go!

One of the "earthly" symbols of the city is Piazza San Marco. Mecca of traveling personalities, the main character tourist photos, a place considered the Venetian center and beautiful square on the ground. Once it served the townspeople ... a huge garden. With the arrival of the relics of St. Mark, everything changed: a cathedral was erected, later surrounded by a majestic square. The cathedral itself has long been awarded the title of "Venetian attraction No. 2". Today, in addition to it, the square flaunts the 3rd most important city decoration - the Doge's Palace, the Mint, the Procuration and the Correr Museum.

Grand - a word that does not need translation

And even if one of them is water, and the other is terrestrial - both of these sights are similar to each other. With its grandeur. In the 9th century, architects built the Doge's Palace in order to hit foreign ambassadors, and, it should be noted, they succeeded. The luxury of the residence of the Venetian rulers and now plunges visitors into awe with its sophistication of decoration and Gothic grandeur.

The admiration of tourists invariably causes and the main street(if the water surface can be called a street) of the city - the Grand Canal. S-shaped almost 4-kilometer "snake" divides central part into two halves. Sailing along it, sitting in the famous gondolas, it is hard to deny yourself admiring the architecture of the buildings that dotted the banks of the canal. It will be hard for someone to believe it, but they were built in the XII-XVIII centuries.

Exclusive: Venice attractions

What else is worthy of attention in a unique area that all of Italy is proud of? Still the same tourist map advise you on your next course of action. Most likely, she will take you to the Correr Museum, formed on the basis of the richest collection of the noble Venetian Teodoro Correr. Further, the map will point to the Campanilla bell tower - a platform from which the entire lagoon is visible at a glance. Don't forget to take a photo majestic temples cities:

• Cathedral of San Giovanni e Paolo,
• the walls of the churches of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari,
• Santa Maria della Salute,
• San Giorgio Maggiore.

The map and other sights of Venice - bridges - will not bypass attention. The whole world has long been covered with photos with the Bridge of Sighs and the Bridge of the Academy. The favorite places for tourists are the Rialto Bridge and the Barefoot Bridge.

Bridge of Sighs is a romantic name. But it does not mean romance at all, but the last breath of the condemned, who were led along this bridge from prison to the place of execution.

There are few options for moving around the city - boats and the famous gondolas. water travel to the songs of a gondolier will cost much more than on a regular boat. But how can you deny yourself a walk along the picturesque shores on another Venetian attraction? By the way, gondoliers do not charge a fee for one person, but for the rental of a boat as such.

It is more rational to go on a gondola ride in a small group than alone.

The Venetian Lagoon, or Why Sadness Replaces Admiration

Only one attraction of the colorful lagoon will not be told by the map and the photo is unlikely to tell you - about its duality. She, like the whole of Italy, is able to boil human passions and give incredible peace. The severity of the cathedrals in it peacefully coexists with the cheerful riot of festivals. Neither detailed map, not the clearest photo will convey the courage with which old City with hundreds of traditions and centuries of history, fighting for survival in the battle with the advancing water. It's no secret that he's losing this fight. But he does not tell millions of tourists about it. Well, this is Venice. That's what she is.

As you know, not a single map, not hundreds of photos can replace a "live" video. Watch, enjoy, marvel and don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments.

It is customary to travel around Venice either on foot or by boat. Even a bicycle is not held in high esteem here because of the many stepped bridges that connect the channels to each other.

Wedding in Venice - what is the best boat to hire for this occasion?

simple gondola

Venice is unthinkable without this boat. Here it was invented and it exists only in this city, adding a unique touch to its appearance.

The gondola moves at a speed of 4 km/h. They say that in terms of the ratio of speed and physical costs of the rower, this vessel is the most profitable in the world.

The simplest gondolas look like this. Gondoliers in them are usually dressed very simply. This gondola can accommodate six passengers.

The gondola is designed in such a way that it resembles a "lunar sickle on the surface of the water." Approximately 3/5 of the bottom area is in contact with water. The gondola served the Venetians in order to move silently along the shallow and narrow canals of the city. Therefore, the boat had to have the smallest draft. She needed agility. Inventors all the time tried to raise the stern and bow of the gondola above the water.

Wedding in Venice - gondola for special occasions

The first gondolas appeared in Venice in 697. It takes about three years to build such a boat. It consists of 280 parts, each of which has its own name, and the gondolier must know it. In the construction of the boat, eight different types of wood are used: oak, cherry, larch, elm, lime, fir, mahogany and walnut. All details are cut and adjusted by hand.

It looks like a gondola for special occasions. The gondolier is dressed in a striped shirt and wears a hat with a ribbon. The boat accommodates six people.

Wedding in Venice: royal gondola

During the heyday of the Venetian Republic, the gondolas were richly decorated and had 12 rowers on board. When the French ambassador arrived in Venice, he described in his diary that the gondolas were decorated with gilded carvings, had canopies entwined with roses, and on the sides there were statues symbolizing the wealth and power of the owner of the boat.

Over time, two rowers began to manage the gondola, and then one. The gondolier does not stand exactly in the middle of the boat, but closer to one of the sides, so it leans. To balance the slope, the designers began to make gondolas initially with uneven sides - one higher, the other lower. The difference is 24 centimeters, which can be easily seen by watching the boats standing on the pier. And only when the rower enters the boat and takes his position, the gondola "aligns".

This is what a "wedding" or "royal" gondola looks like. It is larger and wider than usual. She is driven by two rowers dressed in white robes. The edging of the costumes can be red or gold. The boat can accommodate four passengers.

For a wedding in Venice, the gondola is usually booked for three hours. She checks into the hotel for the bride, then waits for the couple outside City Hall while the ceremony is going on. And then the newlyweds go on a wedding walk, during which photography is carried out.

Motor boats

Such a boat can take on board 14 guests.

Motor boats are good because they develop more speed.

You can hide in them from the weather, as they are covered with a canopy.

However, on motor boat it is impossible to drive through the narrow Venetian canals - this must be taken into account when ordering transport for your wedding in Venice.

There are also bigger boats. They can accommodate a large company, up to 150 people. And also set dinner, order music, and have fun moving around Grand Canal Venice.

Such a wedding in Venice will be remembered for a long time for you and the residents of the city, this can be guaranteed!

Wedding in Venice: Pirate Galleon

Such a huge sailing vessel can accommodate up to 150 guests on board. Here you can arrange a wedding, and after the ceremony, play a costume show by inviting artists.

On board the pirate galleon, tables will be set, decorated with flowers, the best wines and dishes. While you enjoy the wedding banquet, the boat will be able to go around the entire Venetian lagoon. You will see Venice from the water: the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, Piazza San Marco... Greetings will be sent to you from the shore locals and tourists...

Pleasure motor yachts

Such a boat can reach speeds of more than 80 km / h.

It will be nice to go around the entire Venetian lagoon with a breeze, visiting the islands of Murano and Burano, as well as the beaches of the most famous resorts in District.

The boats have a small salon inside, cabins for guests, a bathroom and a kitchen.

And in conclusion - a beautiful video. It will better help to understand why a wedding in Venice without a boat is unthinkable...

I wanted to write an article about boats in Venice, and with bandaged hands, it's not easy. But when I came across these two articles. I decided to repost them without changes. And you are interested, and I don’t suffer)))) But it would be better if I didn’t write! Here is part one. now the second one will

Original taken from andanton to Venice 1. Water world - part one

How do they deliver food to cafes? There are also a lot of tourists, they need to eat somewhere.
- Also on boats.
- What are you giving me?! This is impossible. How can tons of food be brought in by boat and lifted out of the water? And besides, what am I, in Italy, or something? They have such clunkers, three-wheeled cargo scooters ....
- There is nothing even one-wheeled, let alone three-wheeled.
- Well, there are bicycles! It cannot be. Healthy lifestyle and all that...
- No bicycles.
- Can't be. Okay, but the garbage, how is the garbage taken out? Old city Crowds of people roam the narrow streets. This means mountains of rubbish. Where and when does the garbage go? They don't carry it in their hands, do they?
- Don't know. No trash. On boats, they probably take him out at night.
- And the furniture? Ibid luxurious palaces I heard. How are the quad beds and banquet tables delivered to them? Or Venetian glass? It doesn't fit on the boat! How big does a boat need to be to deliver furniture?
- Listen, how do I know? You go to a furniture store and ask. Transported somehow ... Their front doors open into the water. You have a car at the door, and they have a motorboat. Probably, sofas are also dragged into houses from the water ...

With such dialogues, my wife pumped me up before the trip to stir up interest.

You leave the airport, there is a taxi. Water.
- The airport is also in the water with seaplanes?
- No, planes are ordinary. Airport on the coast. But the taxi rank is already in the water.
- What if I don't want a taxi?
- Then the bus. Water. It's called a vaporetto.
And where will he take me?
- Will bring you to the stop. Everything is like everyone else. Only in water.
- They're frogs, right?
- Something like that...

Everything turned out to be true. Of course, we all read, and some saw floating inhabited islands on Lake Titicaca; river flower market near Bangkok; pile villages in Asia and Africa. But the combination of modern industrial culture with the airport, cars, high-speed trains with the Aboriginal way of life on Lake Titicaca. Is such a miracle possible? The reality exceeded all my expectations. In fact, miracles begin right from the airport.

The most famous and romantic water transport in the world can boast long history And unique features which make it even more special.

There is not a single traveler in the world who has not fallen victim to their charms: the magic of the Venetian gondolas with their characteristic silhouette, instigated by the wind, walking between the canals of the city of love and romance, is undeniable.

These boats are one of the most important elements of all Venetian scenes, a real talk of the tongue, but do not think that you know much about them. The imperishable symbol of the Serenissima has many secrets, which we are in a hurry to tell you about right now.

So here are the most Interesting Facts about Venetian gondolas, the most romantic and bewitching boats on the planet.

Traditions

Their irresistible charm and admiration that their sinuous forms evoke are known to the whole world: every tourist who gets into dreams of riding a gondola at least once in his life. However, the characteristic appearance of the gondolas was not always inherent in them. In fact, Venetian gondolas appeared many centuries ago and their appearance, as evidenced by numerous documentary evidence, has undergone numerous changes over the centuries. Thus, in the paintings of Venetian artists of the 15th-16th centuries, gondolas are depicted as shorter, wider and less elongated boats, and, above all, not asymmetrical.

Gentile Bellini "Miracolo della Croce caduta nel canale di San Lorenzo". This is what gondolas looked like at the beginning of the 16th century. Photo wikipedia.it

Today, the 500 examples that plow the waters of the canals of Venice retain the same characteristics familiar to tourists that appeared in their design about 200 years ago.

It should be noted that even today the symbols of Venice are built using a complex technology that is passed down from generation to generation in "squeri", ship docks. Once upon a time, the gondola building sites, which take their name from the word "squara" (la squadra, team), were numerous and all faced the Grand Canal, reflecting the importance of the business.

To date, there are only five docks in Venice and they are located in different parts of the city. The interesting thing is that they all still work without drawing up drawings, relying only on personal experience. It is for this reason that the job of "squerarolo" (nacelle designer) requires a long apprenticeship of at least 36 months and only after passing the exam can the apprentice take on this delicate activity.

Venetian dock "squero"

Each gondola, in fact, requires several months of construction and about 500 hours of work, and given that the average life of a boat is about twenty years, in order to maintain the current fleet of 500 elements, craftsmen must build about 20-30 gondolas every year.

Characteristics

Each "Squero" consists of a square with a descent to the water for access by boats, surrounded by a fence on both sides, and a little further wooden building, called "tesa", which is used as storage for tools and for weather protection. Directly on the dock used to be the home of the chief "squerarolo" or workshop owner.

The gondolas, which are produced in the Squero, are about 11 meters long and weigh about 600 kilograms. Each of the boats has a characteristic asymmetry between the right and left sides (more than 20 centimeters), and a flat bottom, which allows navigation even in very shallow water. The nacelle consists of 280 parts and has a black wood body due to the treatment with resin-based waterproofing material. In the manufacture of gondolas, craftsmen use eight types of wood - oak, spruce, elm, cherry, larch, walnut, linden and mahogany.

This is how a gondola is born

Despite the similarity of the gondolas, each one is unique because it is made to fit the gondolier who will drive it. In particular, for the construction of the boat, the craftsmen take into account not only the height and weight of the gondolier in order to balance the boat, but also whether the gondolier is right-handed or left-handed.

There is a place for symbolism in the design of gondolas. So, the form of "ferro", an iron tip that protects the bow of the boat and serves as a determinant of the height of the bridge and the possibility of a gondola passing under it, contains six ledges, symbolizing the six districts of the city, they are sometimes joined by three friezes, symbolizing the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. On the other side is fixed the tip "risso di poppa", which symbolizes the island of Giudecca.

The gondola is equipped with only one oar, which was caused by the narrowness of the canals, where wide boats could not pass each other. The only oar is fixed in the "forcola", a paddle lock that has a very complex shape. Indeed, the "forcola" allows the gondolier to slowly move forward and backward, quickly row forward, turn the boat around and perform other important maneuvers.

Gondoliers

Historically, being a gondolier is a priority for men, but in 2009 the first woman in history received a license to drive a gondola. This is a rather difficult profession that requires endurance and great skill. Gondoliers are inherited: skills are passed from father to son.

The maximum number of passengers who can ride the gondola at the same time is six.

However, even if the boat is empty, due to its design, the gondolier is actually applying the same amount of force when rowing.

Where are gondolas built?

If a few centuries ago it was full of docks, today there are only five of them. These are the two historic docks of San Trovaso - the oldest - located on the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro quarter, and Tramontin in Ognisanti. They were joined by the relatively recently opened Squero Bonaldi, located next to the dock of Tramontin, Crea and Costantini - De Rossi in Giudecca.

Addresses

To learn about the history of shipping and shipbuilding in the beautiful Repubblica Marinara, head to the Arsenale di Venezia, ancient complex shipyards and workshops. Today, the complex is open to visitors in various areas (some of them can be visited freely, others on request and with a guided tour) and belongs partly to the city and partly to the Italian Navy.