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Italian Gondola
A gòndola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat. Gondolas were for centuries the chief means of
transportation within Venice and still have a role in public transport, serving
as traghètti (ferries) over major canals.
The gondola is propelled by an oarsman (the gondolier) who stands facing the
bow and pushes, rather than pulls, a single oar. Contrary to popular belief the gondola is never poled,
as the waters of Venice are too deep. A gondola for passengers may have a small
open cabin, for their protection against sun or rain. A sumptuary law of Venice required that gondolas
should be painted black, and they are customarily so painted now.
It is also worth noting that a gondolier, under Venetian law, must have been
born in Venice to practice the profession.
It is estimated that there were several thousand gondolas during the 18th
century. There are a few hundred nowadays, most of which are for hire by
tourists, while a few serve as traghetti or are in private ownership and
use.
The construction of the gondola has continued to evolve until the late 19th
century, when motorized boats began to replace gondolas in Venice. A gondola is
long and narrow, with an asymmetrical outline to facilitate propulsion with a
single oar, and a good deal of rocker
(lengthwise curvature) to minimise the area of contact with the water. The oar
or rèmo is held in an oar lock known as a fòrcola. The forcola is
of a complicated shape, allowing several positions of the oar for slow forward
rowing, powerful forward rowing, turning, slowing down and rowing backwards. The
iron ornament on the front of the boat is called the fèrro. It serves to
protect the prow from accidental damage, as decoration and as counterweight for
the gondolier standing near the stern.
Gondolas are hand made using 8 different types of wood (fir, oak, cherry,
walnut, elm, mahogany, larch and lime) and are composed of 280 pieces. The oars
are made of beech wood and the left side of the gondola is made longer than the
right side to counterbalance the weight of the gondolier.
Venetian tradition dictates that couples must kiss under every bridge for
Eternal Love.
Source Wikipedia.org
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