Gondoliers and Canals, Venice

The buildings that make Venice famous are on par with, but do not necessarily exceed other historical buildings and places that I have been in Italy, but the canals and the gondoliers that populate them are definitely something wonderful to behold. There are under 300 working gondolas with less than 500 gondoliers today, and I never tired of watching them, even chancing a ticker by sitting on a bridge in the sun to watch them ply their craft.

Here's what we know: The word “gondola” was first used by the Doge Vitale Falier back in 1093 C.E., but it’s origin stem from a boat, “scaula,” in use since early 900. Compared to today’s gondola, the original version was much broader, much shorter, and symmetrical. Bow and stern laid flatter than those of today, and the front and rear ornaments of the ancient gondola were but simple metal blades. In late 15-hundred, gondola makers started changing the shape of the gondola. They made longer and thinner hull, whose extremities came out of the water. These changes were necessary due to the growth of the city and the need to navigate through a multitude of narrow canals. The new gondolas were easier and faster to maneuver as a smaller portion of the boat was submerged, diminishing friction. During 1800, the gondola’s length reached 11 m, the same as today, and its stern and bow were lifted even farther. It was only at the beginning of the XX century, however, that the gondola reached its final shape, with an even higher stern and bow, and a strong asymmetry, which makes it easier for the gondolier to control the boat. And so much fun to watch!