Gondola history - Venice Gondola - History of Gondolas

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Short Gondola History

Short Gondola History

The first mentions of the famous rowing boat are in year 1094. On a decreet of Doges Vitale Falier, he dispenses the inhabitants of an island nearby Venice from giving the Gondola, named “gondulam” at the time.

The very first idea of how should have appeared a Gondola is given by a painting at the beginning of the sixteenth Century and we can surely state that it was much far from what is a Gondola nowadays.

Only in the nineteenth century Gondolas begun to be similar to the modern concept, the raising of the stern part, the asymmetrical construction, helped to increase manoeuvrability and gondolier’s range of view, infact the less the boat is immersed the more easy is to make curves.

A curiosity: Gondola’s black colour is due to the usage of pitch which was necessary to make the rowing boat waterproof.