Encyclopedia "Aviation"
gondola- Rice. 1. Gondola (basket) of a manned free balloon. aircraft gondola 1) the cabin of an aeronautical aircraft to accommodate the crew, equipment, ballast, cargo and power plants. On the first flights... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"
gondola- Rice. 1. Gondola (basket) of a manned free balloon. aircraft gondola 1) the cabin of an aeronautical aircraft to accommodate the crew, equipment, ballast, cargo and power plants. On the first flights... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"
gondola- Rice. 1. Gondola (basket) of a manned free balloon. aircraft gondola 1) the cabin of an aeronautical aircraft to accommodate the crew, equipment, ballast, cargo and power plants. On the first flights... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"
GONDOLA- (Italian gondola, diminutive of gonda). 1) a light rowing boat with a cabin in the middle, used on the Venetian canals. 2) a type of boat or basket tied to a balloon. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N.,... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
gondola- y, w. gondole f., floor gondula, it. gondola. 1. A long, single-oar, flat-bottomed Venetian boat with a raised figured bow and a high stern, having a cabin or a special awning for passengers. BAS 2. Tabarin hired him... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language
gondola- and an outdated gondola. In the literary language of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the accent gondola predominated. For example, from K. Balmont: “They sailed on gondolas under the pale moon” (Bromelia). The accent gondola is found in V. Bryusov, S. Kirsanov, B. Pasternak and others ... Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language
Gondola- GONDOLA, room for passengers, instruments, ballast, engine and control devices on balloons. On uncontrolled air tanks, a simple basket made of willow or reeds. prutyev, 4 corner. forms. Side height 1 1.1 m, width. to the manager... ... Military encyclopedia
Gondola- (Venice). GONDOLA (Italian gondola), 1) a single-oared flat-bottomed boat with raised figured ends. 2) Aerostat cabin. 3) A structural element of an aircraft, helicopter, having a streamlined shape, to accommodate an engine, landing gear or... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
GONDOLA- (Gondola, Car or cradle of a balloon) 1. Part of an airship or balloon located outside the shell; attached to it directly or with the help of rigid or non-rigid connections and serves as a room for people, engines, etc. G. are... ... Marine Dictionary
gondola- gondola car, engine nacelle, basket, boat Dictionary of Russian synonyms. gondola noun, number of synonyms: 5 basket (23) boat ... Synonym dictionary
Books
- Phantom Gondola, Gianni Rodari. "Ghost Gondola" is a magical journey to 17th century Venice. Thanks to the talent of Gianni Rodari, you will see this fabulous city with your own eyes, sail on a mysterious gondola,…
Gondola and gondolier - these two words are firmly rooted in Venice. It is this type of transport that is considered the legendary symbol of this city. Venice itself arose from rural villages that were scattered along the lagoon of a small river. Over time, many canals appeared, and a huge water labyrinth was formed. As the years passed, the city grew, and in order to get around, gondolas (small boats) were the only possible means of transport.
Now there are many theatrical productions, legends, stories and even novels that are dedicated to the Venetian rowers or where they play an important role. There is even “The Gondoliers” - a film that Stephen King specifically made about them. These boatmen have become firmly entrenched in the life, history and culture of Venice and Italy as a whole. And they are rightfully considered the most famous landmark of the city. There is no tourist who visited Venice who did not at least once ride a gondola.
Gondolas
Of all the water transport, this boat was the most suitable. It is light, roomy, maneuverable and fast. In its elegance, the boat is not inferior to small luxury yachts. It was decided to build gondolas only with a flat bottom, since their purpose was to transport people and goods along shallow canals and channels.
Gondoliers
These boats need to be steered. Gondoliers are exactly the people who do this. Initially, they stood in the center of the boat, but in order to accommodate as many passengers as possible, the “workplace” was moved to the beginning of the ship, to the stern. The meaning of the word "gondoliers" is: boat managers, rowers.
Thanks to this rearrangement, innovations also appeared: a heavy, long oar was required, which was made from durable and dense beech. To manipulate it, the gondolier required considerable dexterity and strength. And the second innovation is the position of the oar, which served for control. In order for it to hold tightly, a rowlock (fork) was invented. It was made from This oarlock had a number of grooves into which the oars were inserted one by one. It was possible to change the length of the lever and thereby regulate the speed of the gondola.
After the oars, it was necessary to change the bow of the boats, and it was made heavier, in contrast to the gondolier, which was located at the stern. Thus, another innovation appeared - “hardware”. This is the name given to a heavy metal plate with 6 teeth arranged horizontally and curled upward. Outwardly, it resembles the crest of the headdress of the Doges of Venice.
A little about the profession
It requires special skill from a person, and it is usually inherited. The Venetian gondolier begins his training as a boy. From the age of 10, he was trained to wield an oar and taught history, singing and foreign languages. Gondoliers even have their own songs, called barcarolles. The word is Italian and comes from “boat”.
Particular attention is paid to wealthy tourists. Today, the Venetian gondolier is a special caste of handsome men who know several languages, have aristocratic manners and know how to give the most exquisite compliments to the fair sex. Moreover, age does not matter. Therefore, gondoliers are often represented as gigolos, who are in special demand.
Profession: gondoliers - who are they?
They are leisurely and have self-esteem. They have their own uniform, which consists of a straw hat with ribbons and a striped T-shirt. This profession is considered very prestigious, so licenses are strictly limited. In total, strictly 425 of them can be issued - no less, no more.
Female gondoliers
It so happens that gondoliers are always men, but in 2009 the tradition, which had been observed for centuries, was broken. Boscolo Georgia, who was only 23 years old, was able to successfully pass the exams and was the first in the world among the fair sex to receive a license. This caused great dissatisfaction among men. Even her father, although secretly proud of his daughter, does not approve of her chosen profession.
Gondolier traditions
In Venice there are traffic lights that are located at all intersections to regulate traffic. But gondoliers still don’t trust them, and in traffic jams they prefer to shout loudly, warning of their arrival. This tradition has been preserved since ancient times.
Boats were always painted black. But to attract tourists, gondoliers began to break the usual traditions and decorate their water transport with neon lights, gold bedspreads and pillows. But authorities have threatened to take away licenses from those who violate restraint and change the rules. Therefore, the ancient tradition has been preserved.
Gondoliers are famously charming "macho men". They also have their own songs (we have already mentioned them) that they perform, but modern and popular ones are not included in their folklore. Therefore, Venetian traditional melodies are preferred in the craft.
License and inheritance
The right to obtain membership in the gondolier guild club can only be passed on by inheritance. And only to the son from the father. But getting there for an outsider is quite difficult. If the gondolier dies, then his license is transferred only to the direct heir, and the latter can sell it in the future.
Its cost is very high, but this is justified, since the wages of boatmen are far from small. In just 30 minutes they earn 100 euros. And the working day is quite long and can last up to 15 hours.
Before a person receives a license, he must pass two exams: first the theoretical part, and then the practical part. In general, there are even special courses lasting nine months. It is important here to be able to control the gondola correctly.
Working nuances
Gondoliers are people who must know the city and all the channels well, have oratory skills and an excellent voice, since they have to sing many songs. But some, such as barcarolle, are performed by boatmen only for additional payment. Price is negotiable. It often happens that artists and singers with accompaniment are invited aboard the gondola.
A special uniform is required - a straw one with ribbons attached to it, a striped T-shirt, and a simple white shirt can be worn over it. The dress code is specified in the rules and must be strictly followed.
Rowing technique
Due to the asymmetrical shape of the gondola, the rower can control it with only one oar. Moreover, it is located on the side of the dividing line that divides the boat in half. The gondolier controls from the bow with an oar (it is also a rudder).
The technique is more pushing than rowing. The gondolier first rocks the boat and moves the oar along a certain trajectory.
Competitions
Gondoliers are professionals who hone their skills not only at work, but also at sports competitions. On every first Sunday in September, the Historical Regatta is held in Venice. Initially, before the competition, a parade of gondolas is organized, and after that the rowers compete, showing their skills and art. The distance is seven kilometers. Moreover, there are competitions on an internal scale - they are held between certain areas and islands or even gondolier clans and families.
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 its outstanding architecture and landscapes of amazing beauty, of course, Venice is famous for being located on islands in a wonderful and picturesque lagoon, surrounded on all sides by water. Venetian gondolas, cutting through the waves of the lagoons, are often called the most beautiful boats in the world and are considered a “calling card” - one of the main ones. We will talk about them today.
Over the centuries, the appearance of Venice's popular river transport 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 variable quality of water. The history of the city and the history of this type of vessel are closely intertwined.
The first mention of a gondola dates back to 1094, when the Doge of Venice, Vitale Falier, granted a charter to some residents of the city 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, as it remains to this day. Historians believe that this particular 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 subsided, but the residents of Venice were so accustomed to dark boats that they did not change their color.
In the late 1400s, gondolas closely resembled other forms of water transport then in use on 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 had taken on much the same shape as we see today. In the 1800s, some technical innovations were added to their hull, the asymmetrical design, for example, allowing gondoliers to control the vessel with ease, deftly maneuvering between other boats.
Until 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 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 are cut by 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 bow of the ship, the “ferro da prora’”, usually made in an s-shape, reminiscent of 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 certain 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. The unique profession of a gondola rower is passed down from generation to generation. But blood ties are not enough to give tourists a ride on a beautiful boat. To obtain a special license, you must complete a 9-month training course for gondoliers, and upon completion, pass a serious and difficult exam. Moreover, applicants to drive gondolas are also required to demonstrate their knowledge of the English language. And only then will representatives of the mayor’s office agree to consider the application for a license. It is also worth noting the fact that the gondola is a man’s business. However, history knows of cases when representatives of the fair sex became the stern of the Venetian “swans”.
- Modern gondolas are both similar and dissimilar at the same time. As mentioned above, the City Hall of Venice has determined the standards by which boats are manufactured. They all weigh 700 kilograms and consist of 280 pieces carved from eight different types of 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 painting boats black in order to put an end to the serious struggle that broke out between representatives of the Venetian elite. The thing is that wealthy gondola owners previously tried to decorate their boats in one way or another in order to demonstrate to everyone their wealth. According to the second version, the black color of the gondolas signifies the grief of the Venetians who survived a terrible plague that killed thousands of people.
- Famous writers and poets regularly compared the "black swans" of Venice to coffins. And some studies confirm that Venetians associate gondolas with death.
- The first female gondolier received a license to drive this type of transport in 2010. Giorgia Boscolo, the 24-year-old daughter of a 40-year-old “veteran” gondolier, continued her father’s path. German Alex Hai also intended to get an unusual profession, but the girl failed to pass the boat control exam.
- One Venetian company offers to teach tourists how to drive gondolas. Row Venice agrees to provide a professional gondolier who, in an hour and a half, will tell you the basics of his work, and will also help you consolidate what he has heard in practice. You will be given at your disposal not a gondola, but another boat, which, however, is an almost exact analogue of the “calling card” of Venice. Row Venice website: www.rowvenice.com
- Instead of taking a gondola ride, 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” in Venice per year.
- If you want to see gondolas not in the manufacturing process, but in all their grandeur, you should definitely visit Venice on the first Saturday in September. On this day, a parade of decorated gondolas and their rowers takes place in the Grand Canal. Moreover, the historical regatta “Regata Storica” is also held here, as well as a competition between Venetian boats.
How much does it cost to ride a gondola?
A visit to Venice almost includes the obligatory “gondola ride.” And this is not surprising: the city opens up from the other side, from the outside, when you sail along the waves of the Gulf of Venice. What could be more romantic in Venice than a late evening gondola ride in the company of your significant other? However, it is worth keeping in mind that the prices for gondolier services are not that low.
Rowers usually charge 80 euros for a 40-minute trip, but 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 gondolas is always limited. Moreover, in the evening the cost of the trip increases (within 20 euros).
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Gondola with the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in the background. Artist Camille Corot.
Gondola is rightfully considered a symbol Venice. This is a very ancient type of vessel: the classic design of a narrow, flat-bottomed boat with raised ends developed about a thousand years ago and has not changed much since then. Latest adjustments to the design gondolas introduced in the 18th century - then all their characteristics, including sizes, materials and even coloring, were legally regulated and are strictly observed to this day. Perhaps, it is unlikely that you will find such an unshakable commitment to tradition anywhere else!
Canal San Marco and Doge's Palace. Artist Francesco Guardi.
Venice is the only city in the world where there are no wheeled vehicles. The role of streets and avenues here is played by canals. The land streets are so narrow, cramped and humpbacked due to the abundance of arched bridges that even in the 16th century Venetian The Doge issued a decree prohibiting not only carriages and carts, but also riding horses. Since then, residents of this amazing city have used only one type of transport - water.
Gondola on the Grand Canal.
Shape and design gondolas is a striking example of evolution in the field of “small-tonnage shipbuilding”. The volume of transportation was large, the canals were narrow, special seaworthiness was not required, so a boat with a very long and narrow hull looked most rational. Traffic along the canals was extremely intense, and ordinary oars with rowlocks would interfere with neighboring and oncoming ships. Therefore, the movement technique gondola not quite rowing, but rather rowing-push. Gondola Usually one person controls it: standing facing forward, he rocks the boat and at the same time performs ingenious manipulations with the oar.
Because gondolier works with an oar from one side (right), then in order to compensate for the deviation to the left, the hull of the boat has an asymmetrical shape: the contours of its left side are fuller than those of the right side. Gondola glides through the water not straightly, but along a wave-like trajectory, and steering the vessel in tight channels requires certain skills. It is curious that the effort expended gondolier, practically do not depend on the loading of the boat.
Gondolas in the parking lot. It is clearly visible that the hull of the boats has an asymmetrical shape.
IN Venice gondolas supplanted all other types of ships back in the Middle Ages. There is evidence that during the heyday Venetian Republic in the city there were about 10 thousand gondolas and 14 thousand gondoliers. In the 18th century, a law appeared regulating the size and design of boats, and "to combat waste" they were prescribed to be painted only black. True, it is possible that black gondolas began much earlier: according to one version, they were ordered to be repainted in 1562, when a plague epidemic was raging in the city. Then on gondolas the bodies of the dead were being transported, and the colorful colors of the ships looked out of place. Later, the authorities ordered that the boats be left black in memory of the tragedy that befell the city, and the law of the 18th century only confirmed the established tradition.
Gondolas are the “black swans” of the Venetian canals.
One way or another, but today through the channels Venice only blacks prance gondolas. They are all the same size: the hull length is 11.05 m, the width is 1.4 m. The empty weight of the boat is about 400 kg. The hull has an asymmetrical shape: at the midsection relative to the keel, its left part is 24 cm wider than the right. The bow and stern of the boat are raised upward to minimize the area of contact with the water, and, accordingly, the resistance to movement, and also to increase maneuverability. During production gondolas nine types of wood are traditionally used. The top of the body is decorated with decorative carvings and covered in several layers with a special black varnish.
The gondolier steers the boat, facing the direction of travel and working with one oar.
On the nose gondolas a flat iron comb is installed - "ferro". It performs several functions: protects the bow of the boat from impact, serves as a counterweight to those standing at the stern to the gondolier, it is used to estimate the clearance height of the next bridge and determine whether it will pass under it gondola or not. The six protrusions on the ferro symbolize the areas of the city that Venice was divided in 1169; the seventh protrusion at the back signifies the island of Giudecca, and the curve at the top signifies the doge's headdress.
As already mentioned, modern gondolas only one oar, which is installed in a specially shaped oarlock called "forcola". The design of the forcola allows the experienced to the gondolier masterfully wield the oar, providing various speed modes of the boat, turns and circulation, emergency braking and accurate mooring.
Maximum capacity gondolas- six passengers. Sometimes boats are equipped with a small cabin-tent for protection from the scorching sun or bad weather.
Gondola with cabin-tent and two gondoliers. This photo was taken almost a century ago.
Now in Venice there is only one shipyard left, engaged in construction and repairs gondolas. All work on it is carried out manually, using ancient technology. Each boat is assembled from 280 individual parts and takes approximately three years to build. Price gondolas comparable to the cost of a prestigious car and measured in tens of thousands of euros. All boats in service are the property of gondoliers, and therefore the owner tries in every possible way to protect his transport, which is the source of his income. Average service life gondolas is approximately 15 years. The high cost of the vessel, its relatively short life, coupled with increased requirements for the qualifications of the owners operating them, predetermine the fact that boat trips on "Venetian taxi" They are very expensive for tourists.
The transverse bulkheads of the gondolas are often decorated with picturesque paintings.
About the profession gondolier should be described separately. It requires great skill and is usually passed down from father to son. From the age of ten, a boy is taught not only how to wield an oar, but also history, foreign languages, singing (it’s not for nothing that gondoliers there is a special kind of song called barcarolle- from the Italian word barca, that is "boat"). Particular attention is paid to the complex science of communicating with wealthy tourists. Today Venetian gondolier is a representative of a special caste of handsome men with aristocratic manners, capable of making exquisite compliments in different languages to representatives of the fair sex of any age... It is not surprising that in the minds of many gondolier is a gigolo who enjoys increased attention from rich foreign women.
Gondoliers leisurely and full of self-esteem. They have their own uniform - a straw hat with ribbons and a striped T-shirt. Their profession is considered prestigious, and the number of licenses to work gondolier V Venice strictly limited: 425 of them are issued, no more, no less.
A gondolier stands by his boat, waiting for those wishing to take a boat trip.
Historically gondoliers Only men could become, but in June 2009 this centuries-old tradition was broken. 23 year old Georgia Boscolo passed difficult exams and became the first in history Venice officially recognized female gondolier. Although she comes from a family of hereditary gondoliers, however, her obtaining a license caused discontent among her male colleagues. Even the father Georgia Dante Boscolo Although he is proud of his daughter, he still believes that she has chosen a profession that is not at all feminine.
Gondolas on the Grand Canal. Artist Bernardo Belotto.
I wonder what the word "gondola", first encountered in Venetian document of 1094, in Italy it is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, they said the same thing in Russia. However, Russian poets did not like this sound, who often dedicated Venice poems: by the way "gondola" It was very difficult to find a rhyme. And they unanimously began to shift the stress to the second syllable - then the task was significantly simplified (for example, to "gondOle" rhymed well "barcarolle"). Gradually, this pronunciation became traditional among us. Only in recent years has the word begun to be heard again "gondola"— in particular, it is used by Russian guides working in Italy.
In addition to traditional passenger gondolas, now used exclusively for the entertainment of tourists, in Venice there are special and ceremonial gondolas. They occur quite rarely - usually on holidays or on the occasion of certain important events. For example, there is wedding gondolas, gondola hearses, gondola ferries (traghetto), racing gondolas (gondola di regatta). They sometimes accommodate up to 15 people and have several rowers. It should be emphasized Doge of Venice gondola, which takes part in the annual September Historical Regatta Regatta Storica. This ornate vessel houses a record-breaking gondolas number of rowers - 12.
Ceremonial gondola hearse. Photos of the first half of the last century.
The Venetian gondola has long been a permanent symbol of this Italian city on the water. You won't find boats this unique in their design anywhere else. Just like the unique Turkish or Arabic ones, Italian gondolas have passed through the centuries, maintaining not only their original design, but also their relevance in the modern world.
There is a version that the inhabitants of Venice appeared long before the emergence of the city itself on the water, back in the 4th century, and its first creators were the ancient Romans. The name, which translated means “boat,” came from the ancient Roman civilization.
This boat had a lot of advantages, thanks to which it easily “took root” on the canals of Venice. Lightweight, comfortable, roomy, characterized by good maneuverability on turns and decent speed of movement - the Roman “fundola” was loved by the residents of Venice and became an integral part of their life.
However, the Venetians themselves like to tell a different story about the origin of the gondola - more romantic, in the spirit of their hometown. According to this legend, once upon a time a couple in love could not find a place where they could retire, and then the moon took pity on them, went down to the water and became a gilded boat - a gondola, on which the lovers spent the whole night.
Design features of gondolas
Many people mistakenly believe that all Venetian gondolas are the same, but in reality there are only a number of nuances that, when building such traditional boats, are unchangeable rules and are determined by the city authorities. In general, the creators of gondolas are not limited in creating an original boat according to the wishes of the customer.
The length of modern gondolas is within 11 m, and this despite the fact that the width of such a Venetian boat is only 1.4 m. Such a traditional Venetian boat is created from 280 parts, which are cut from eight types of wood. The standard gondola has an elongated shape with a high stern, a slightly raised shaped bow and a flat bottom. This design allows for the fastest and most convenient movement along the narrow canals of Venice. Controlled only by a gondolier's oar, the gondola is capable of moving at speeds of up to 4 km/h, and this despite the fact that even such an empty boat weighs at least 400 kg.
A distinctive feature of the gondola design is the ferro - an elegant knob on the bow of the boat, which many take for decoration. In fact, it has several practical functions. Ferro serves as a counterweight to the gondolier and protects against collisions, and also with its help determines the possibility of the boat passing under bridges.
Gondola design as a tribute to history
Historical sources claim that the first gondolas were painted in various colors, and only over time acquired their standard, strict dark color.
The usual dark color of gondolas, for which they are poetically called “black swans,” is explained by various legends. According to one of them, the city hall issued an official decree on the use of exclusively strict dark colors for painting boats in order to stop the struggle of the local aristocracy, who wanted to demonstrate their superiority with all kinds of decorations.
According to another version, the colorful colors disappeared as a sign of mourning for those who died at a time when the plague reigned in Europe, which claimed the lives of many Venetians. Another legend says that a lover secretly visited the wife of the ruler of Venice on a black gondola, and then, trying to hide such a shame, the Doge passed a law in which everyone had to repaint the boats black.
Prestigious profession - gondolier
Gondoliers usually work exclusively on their own boats. The cost of a gondola is rather large and can range from 25 to 75 thousand euros. However, the profession of a gondolier in Venice is inherited.
In any case, only beginners (without taking into account family traditions) are required to complete a 9-month course in the art of operating a gondola and, as a result, pass a difficult aptitude exam. In addition, everyone who wants to carry tourists along the canals of Venice must also confirm their successful fluency in English.
As a rule, this profession is purely male, but there are cases when women also received the right to drive a gondola. In 2010, young Georgia Boscolo, the daughter of a gondolier, continued her father's legacy, becoming the first woman in modern history to pilot this traditional Venetian boat.
Modern gondolas
The process of making a gondola is not easy, so only up to 20 of these boats are created per year, each of which is made exclusively to order. Gondolas are usually made in small boatyards in Italy. The price of one such boat can be up to 40-75 thousand euros.
One of the most prestigious such manufacturers in Venice is the Squero San Trovaso shipyard. Excursions are often organized here, which allows you to admire with your own eyes how new gondolas are created and old gondolas are restored. On this site, gondolas are still created by hand, exclusively using ancient technologies and using tools from those times. It takes up to 4 months of work to create one such boat. At another shipyard in the city, Roberto Tramotina, they use modern tools and methods when creating gondolas, which allows them to speed up the process of creating a gondola, reducing the time to 2 months.
It seems that there are countless gondolas in Venice, but in fact there are now just under 450 such boats, although during the time of the Venetian Republic there were more than 7 thousand. You can admire the numerous gondolas in Venice in all their grandeur at the beginning of September. On the first Saturday of the month, a grand parade of gondolas and gondoliers takes place, combined with the traditional regatta of such boats - Regata Storica, which covers a route of 7 km.
