Nothing says Venice more than a gondola, the traditional, flat-bottomed boats with their dramatic, well-dressed gondoliers.
For centuries, the gondola was the chief means of transportation in Venice, with several thousand of them maneuvering the canals at the same time. At that time, they were fitted with a "felze," or a small open cabin. They used the open felze to cool off on hot summer nights, or closed the cabin to enjoy a secret romance. The original wooden cabin disappeared as tourism spread. That’s good, because it would be a pity to hide the view.
The origin of the name "gondola" is uncertain. It may come from the Latin "cymbula" (little boat) or "cuncula" or "concha" (shell). Even up to fifty years ago, the well-to-do had their own gondolas.
The last private gondola was actually owned by an American, Peggy Guggenheim, who once lived at the Palazzo Veneiri dei Leoni, overlooking the Grand Canal. Today it houses one of the world’s most important collections of 20th century abstract art.
No comments:
Post a Comment