Classroom » Multimedia
Venetian Gondola and Gondolier
About this photograph
- Creator
- Bobby Hobgood
- Date created
- May 24, 2007
- Location
- Venice, Italy
- License
- This photograph copyright ©2007. Terms of use
Related media
Learn more
- Search LEARN NC for canals, gondolas, gondoliers, Italy, and Venice.
In the classroom
- See our collection of articles on visual literacy for ideas on using photographs meaningfully in the classroom.
Transportation through one of Venice’s 150 canals includes the option of a romantic excursion by gondola as seen here. Gondolas are long, asymmetrical, narrow boats made of one of only eight types of wood. The left side of the gondola is made longer to counterbalance the weight of the gondolier. During the eighteenth century, it is estimated that thousands of gondolas existed as a primary mode of transportation for the wealthy. Today, a few hundred gondolas are used primarily by tourists who pay on average $80 for a 50-minute scenic tour, often accompanied by a musician or serenade by the gondolier. Many of the original canals have been filled in to create more pedestrian routes throughout the city.
Gondoliers must be Venetian by birth, and must pass a certification test to obtain a license. Until recently (2007), all gondoliers were male. Note that the gondolier depicted here rows the boat using a single, long oar made of beechwood.
