Who controls the gondola? Gondoliers - who are they? Venetian gondoliers

The Venetian gondola has long been a permanent symbol of this Italian city on the water. You won't find boats this unique in their design anywhere else. Just like the unique Turkish or Arabic ones, Italian gondolas have passed through the centuries, maintaining not only their original design, but also their relevance in the modern world.

There is a version that the inhabitants of Venice appeared long before the emergence of the city itself on the water, back in the 4th century, and its first creators were the ancient Romans. The name, which translated means “boat,” came from the ancient Roman civilization.

This boat had a lot of advantages, thanks to which it easily “took root” on the canals of Venice. Lightweight, comfortable, roomy, characterized by good maneuverability on turns and decent speed of movement - the Roman “fundola” was loved by the residents of Venice and became an integral part of their life.

However, the Venetians themselves like to tell a different story about the origin of the gondola - more romantic, in the spirit of their hometown. According to this legend, once upon a time a couple in love could not find a place where they could retire, and then the moon took pity on them, went down to the water and became a gilded boat - a gondola, on which the lovers spent the whole night.

Design features of gondolas

Many people mistakenly believe that all Venetian gondolas are the same, but in reality there are only a number of nuances that, when building such traditional boats, are unchangeable rules and are determined by the city authorities. In general, the creators of gondolas are not limited in creating an original boat according to the wishes of the customer.

The length of modern gondolas is within 11 m, and this despite the fact that the width of such a Venetian boat is only 1.4 m. Such a traditional Venetian boat is created from 280 parts, which are cut from eight types of wood. The standard gondola has an elongated shape with a high stern, a slightly raised shaped bow and a flat bottom. This design allows for the fastest and most convenient movement along the narrow canals of Venice. Controlled only by the gondolier's oar, the gondola is capable of moving at speeds of up to 4 km/h, and this despite the fact that even the empty weight of such a boat is at least 400 kg.

A distinctive feature of the gondola design is the ferro - an elegant knob on the bow of the boat, which many take for decoration. In fact, it has several practical functions. Ferro serves as a counterweight to the gondolier and protects against collisions, and also with its help determines the possibility of the boat passing under bridges.

Gondola design as a tribute to history

Historical sources claim that the first gondolas were painted in various colors, and only over time acquired their standard, strict dark color.

The usual dark color of gondolas, for which they are poetically called “black swans,” is explained by various legends. According to one of them, the city hall issued an official decree on the use of exclusively strict dark colors for painting boats in order to stop the struggle of the local aristocracy, who wanted to demonstrate their superiority with all kinds of decorations.

According to another version, the colorful colors disappeared as a sign of mourning for those who died at a time when the plague reigned in Europe, which claimed the lives of many Venetians. Another legend says that a lover secretly visited the wife of the ruler of Venice on a black gondola, and then, trying to hide such a shame, the Doge passed a law in which everyone had to repaint the boats black.

Prestigious profession - gondolier

Gondoliers usually work exclusively on their own boats. The cost of a gondola is rather large and can range from 25 to 75 thousand euros. However, the profession of a gondolier in Venice is inherited.

In any case, only beginners (without taking into account family traditions) are required to complete a 9-month course in the art of operating a gondola and, as a result, pass a difficult aptitude exam. In addition, everyone who wants to carry tourists along the canals of Venice must also confirm their successful fluency in English.

As a rule, this profession is purely male, but there are cases when women also received the right to drive a gondola. In 2010, young Georgia Boscolo, the daughter of a gondolier, continued her father's legacy, becoming the first woman in modern history to pilot this traditional Venetian boat.

Modern gondolas

The process of making a gondola is not easy, so only up to 20 of these boats are created per year, each of which is made exclusively to order. Gondolas are usually made in small boatyards in Italy. The price of one such boat can be up to 40-75 thousand euros.

One of the most prestigious such manufacturers in Venice is the Squero San Trovaso shipyard. Excursions are often organized here, which allows you to admire with your own eyes how new gondolas are created and old gondolas are restored. On this site, gondolas are still created by hand, exclusively using ancient technologies and using tools from those times. It takes up to 4 months of work to create one such boat. At another shipyard in the city, Roberto Tramotina, they use modern tools and methods when creating gondolas, which allows them to speed up the process of creating a gondola, reducing the time to 2 months.

It seems that there are countless gondolas in Venice, but in fact there are now just under 450 such boats, although during the time of the Venetian Republic there were more than 7 thousand. You can admire the numerous gondolas in Venice in all their grandeur at the beginning of September. On the first Saturday of the month, a grand parade of gondolas and gondoliers takes place, combined with the traditional regatta of such boats - Regata Storica, which covers a route of 7 km.

Encyclopedia "Aviation"

gondola- Rice. 1. Gondola (basket) of a manned free balloon. aircraft gondola 1) the cabin of an aeronautical aircraft to accommodate the crew, equipment, ballast, cargo and power plants. On the first flights... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"

gondola- Rice. 1. Gondola (basket) of a manned free balloon. aircraft gondola 1) the cabin of an aeronautical aircraft to accommodate the crew, equipment, ballast, cargo and power plants. On the first flights... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"

gondola- Rice. 1. Gondola (basket) of a manned free balloon. aircraft gondola 1) the cabin of an aeronautical aircraft to accommodate the crew, equipment, ballast, cargo and power plants. On the first flights... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"

GONDOLA- (Italian gondola, diminutive of gonda). 1) a light rowing boat with a cabin in the middle, used on the Venetian canals. 2) a type of boat or basket tied to a balloon. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N.,... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

gondola- y, w. gondole f., floor gondula, it. gondola. 1. A long, single-oar, flat-bottomed Venetian boat with a raised figured bow and a high stern, having a cabin or a special awning for passengers. BAS 2. Tabarin hired him... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

gondola- and an outdated gondola. In the literary language of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the accent gondola predominated. For example, from K. Balmont: “They sailed on gondolas under the pale moon” (Bromelia). The accent gondola is found in V. Bryusov, S. Kirsanov, B. Pasternak and others ... Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language

Gondola- GONDOLA, room for passengers, instruments, ballast, engine and control devices on balloons. On uncontrolled air tanks, a simple basket made of willow or reeds. prutyev, 4th corner forms. Side height 1 1.1 m, width. to the manager... ... Military encyclopedia

Gondola- (Venice). GONDOLA (Italian gondola), 1) a single-oared flat-bottomed boat with raised figured ends. 2) Aerostat cabin. 3) A structural element of an aircraft, helicopter, having a streamlined shape, to accommodate an engine, landing gear or... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

GONDOLA- (Gondola, Car or cradle of a balloon) 1. Part of an airship or balloon located outside the shell; attached to it directly or with the help of rigid or non-rigid connections and serves as a room for people, engines, etc. G. are... ... Marine Dictionary

gondola- gondola car, engine nacelle, basket, boat Dictionary of Russian synonyms. gondola noun, number of synonyms: 5 basket (23) boat ... Synonym dictionary

Books

• Phantom Gondola, Gianni Rodari. "Ghost Gondola" is a magical journey to 17th century Venice. Thanks to the talent of Gianni Rodari, you will see this fabulous city with your own eyes, sail on a mysterious gondola,…

- (Italian gondola * a. rail gondola; n. Sattelwagen; f. tombereau; i. ranura) - a gondola car designed for the transportation of bulk and bulk cargo. In mining industry is used for transporting items. from quarries to network-wide railways Mountain encyclopedia

Gondola and gondolier - these two words are firmly rooted in Venice. It is this type of transport that is considered the legendary symbol of this city. Venice itself arose from rural villages that were scattered along the lagoon of a small river. Over time, many canals appeared, and a huge water labyrinth was formed. As the years passed, the city grew, and in order to get around, gondolas (small boats) were the only possible means of transport.

Now there are many theatrical productions, legends, stories and even novels that are dedicated to the Venetian rowers or where they play an important role. There is even “The Gondoliers” - a film that Stephen King specifically made about them. These boatmen have become firmly entrenched in the life, history and culture of Venice and Italy as a whole. And they are rightfully considered the most famous landmark of the city. There is no tourist who visited Venice who did not at least once ride a gondola.

Gondolas

Of all the water transport, this boat was the most suitable. It is light, roomy, maneuverable and fast. In its elegance, the boat is not inferior to small luxury yachts. It was decided to build gondolas only with a flat bottom, since their purpose was to transport people and goods along shallow canals and channels.

Gondoliers

These boats need to be steered. Gondoliers are exactly the people who do this. Initially, they stood in the center of the boat, but in order to accommodate as many passengers as possible, the “workplace” was moved to the beginning of the ship, to the stern. The meaning of the word "gondoliers" is: boat managers, rowers.

Thanks to this rearrangement, innovations also appeared: a heavy, long oar was required, which was made from durable and dense beech. To manipulate it, the gondolier required considerable dexterity and strength. And the second innovation is the position of the oar, which served for control. In order for it to hold tightly, a rowlock (fork) was invented. It was made from This oarlock had a number of grooves into which the oars were inserted one by one. It was possible to change the length of the lever and thereby regulate the speed of the gondola.

After the oars, it was necessary to change the bow of the boats, and it was made heavier, in contrast to the gondolier, which was located at the stern. Thus, another innovation appeared - “hardware”. This is the name given to a heavy metal plate with 6 teeth arranged horizontally and curled upward. Outwardly, it resembles the crest of the headdress of the Doges of Venice.

A little about the profession

It requires special skill from a person, and it is usually inherited. The Venetian gondolier begins his training as a boy. From the age of 10, he was trained to wield an oar and taught history, singing and foreign languages. Gondoliers even have their own songs, called barcarolles. The word is Italian and comes from “boat”.

Particular attention is paid to wealthy tourists. Today, the Venetian gondolier is a special caste of handsome men who know several languages, have aristocratic manners and know how to give the most exquisite compliments to the fair sex. Moreover, age does not matter. Therefore, gondoliers are often represented as gigolos, who are in special demand.

Profession: gondoliers - who are they?

They are leisurely and have self-esteem. They have their own uniform, which consists of a straw hat with ribbons and a striped T-shirt. This profession is considered very prestigious, so licenses are strictly limited. In total, strictly 425 of them can be issued - no less, no more.

Female gondoliers

It so happens that gondoliers are always men, but in 2009 the tradition, which had been observed for centuries, was broken. Boscolo Georgia, who was only 23 years old, was able to successfully pass the exams and was the first in the world among the fair sex to receive a license. This caused great dissatisfaction among men. Even her father, although secretly proud of his daughter, does not approve of her chosen profession.

Gondolier traditions

In Venice there are traffic lights that are located at all intersections to regulate traffic. But gondoliers still don’t trust them, and in traffic jams they prefer to shout loudly, warning of their arrival. This tradition has been preserved since ancient times.

Boats were always painted black. But to attract tourists, gondoliers began to break the usual traditions and decorate their water transport with neon lights, gold bedspreads and pillows. But authorities have threatened to take away licenses from those who violate restraint and change the rules. Therefore, the ancient tradition has been preserved.

Gondoliers are famously charming "macho men". They also have their own songs (we have already mentioned them) that they perform, but modern and popular ones are not included in their folklore. Therefore, Venetian traditional melodies are preferred in the craft.

License and inheritance

The right to obtain membership in the gondolier guild club can only be passed on by inheritance. And only to the son from the father. But getting there for an outsider is quite difficult. If the gondolier dies, then his license is transferred only to the direct heir, and the latter can sell it in the future.

Its cost is very high, but this is justified, since the wages of boatmen are far from small. In just 30 minutes they earn 100 euros. And the working day is quite long and can last up to 15 hours.

Before a person receives a license, he must pass two exams: first the theoretical part, and then the practical part. In general, there are even special courses lasting nine months. It is important here to be able to control the gondola correctly.

Working nuances

Gondoliers are people who must know the city and all the channels well, have oratory skills and an excellent voice, since they have to sing many songs. But some, such as barcarolle, are performed by boatmen only for additional payment. Price is negotiable. It often happens that artists and singers with accompaniment are invited aboard the gondola.

A special uniform is required - a straw one with ribbons attached to it, a striped T-shirt, and a simple white shirt can be worn over it. The dress code is specified in the rules and must be strictly followed.

Rowing technique

Due to the asymmetrical shape of the gondola, the rower can control it with only one oar. Moreover, it is located on the side of the dividing line that divides the boat in half. The gondolier controls from the bow with an oar (it is also a rudder).

The technique is more pushing than rowing. The gondolier first rocks the boat and moves the oar along a certain trajectory.

Competitions

Gondoliers are professionals who hone their skills not only at work, but also at sports competitions. On every first Sunday in September, the Historical Regatta is held in Venice. Initially, before the competition, a parade of gondolas is organized, and after that the rowers compete, showing their skills and art. The distance is seven kilometers. Moreover, there are competitions on an internal scale - they are held between certain areas and islands or even gondolier clans and families.

The section is very easy to use. Just enter the desired word in the field provided, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-formation dictionaries. Here you can also see examples of the use of the word you entered.

Meaning of the word gondola

gondola in the crossword dictionary

Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Dal Vladimir

gondola

and. Venetian dinghy, boat; yalbot; up to 30 f. long, 4 wide Gondola, related to it. Gondolier, gondola driver, boatman, gondola rower, merrymaker.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

gondola

gondolas, w. (Italian: gondola).

A Venetian boat of a special shape, with a cabin, propelled by a stern oar.

Basket for balloon passengers (aviation).

Suspended space for the crew, passengers or airship mechanism (aviation).

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.

gondola

Venetian longboat with cabin or awning.

A basket for balloon passengers, as well as room for people and equipment in the balloon. G. airship.

adj. govdol-ny, -aya, -oe.

New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

gondola

A long, single-oar, flat-bottomed Venetian boat with a raised figured bow and a high stern, having a cabin or a special awning for passengers.

A freight car without a roof, with hatches in the floor that open to allow cargo to spill out.

Hanging basket of a balloon, aerostat cabin, airship for accommodating the crew, equipment and ballast.

A structural element of an aircraft or helicopter for housing the engine, landing gear and other devices, having a streamlined shape.

Part of the bathyscaphe in the form of a steel ball in which the crew, instruments, etc. are located.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

gondola

GONDOLA (Italian: gondola)

a single-oared flat-bottomed boat with raised figured ends.

Aerostat cabin.

A structural element of an airplane or helicopter, having a streamlined shape, to accommodate an engine, landing gear or other devices.

Self-unloading gondola railway car with a flat horizontal floor.

Gondola (disambiguation)

Gondola- an ambiguous word that can mean:

• A gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat.
• Gondola- a streamlined design to accommodate aircraft components (engines, landing gear, cabin, weapons).
  • An aircraft nacelle is a structural element of an aircraft for housing the engine, landing gear and other devices, which has a streamlined shape.
  • The balloon gondola is the aircraft control cabin.
• Gondola cabin- a cabin for transporting passengers by cable car.

Gondola

Gondola- traditional Venetian rowing boat. It is one of the symbols of Venice.

Historically, it was the main means of transportation along the city’s canals, and currently serves to entertain numerous tourists. At the end of the republic, there were several thousand gondolas in Venice. At the end of the 17th century, a Russian traveler wrote the following:

In Venice there are cab drivers' boats, which are called gundals, many thousands, and all are black and covered with black cloth, with large ends, and in each gundal there is one man oarsman, and on others there are two people. And whoever needs to go by sea to nearby places from Venice or to Venice itself along the canals, that is, along the streets, then they ride in those gundals, hiring them; and the pay is for the whole day from a gundal, which with one oarsman is a Venetian ducat, and Moscow money is 15 altyns; and for that fee he is obliged to drive all day where he pleases.

And the Venetian procurators and noble merchants, as well as clergy, have their own gundals, of which there are more than one thousand in Venice. Many of those gundals are elegant, carved, gilded, covered with velvets with lace and fringed with gold and other handsome brocades, and the ends are great; They also contain tapestries, or colored triplets, or other hefty brocades, and the like.

And those gundals were made in a special fashion: they were long and not wide, like single-wood trays, but the bow and stern were sharp, and on the bow there were great iron ridges, and on the stern it was bound with iron, and in the middle there was a loft with ends and a fair amount of curtains covered, and there are plenty of benches with cushions. And the rowers - one person at the bow and another at the stern; and in which there is no other rower, there is a person at the stern, rowing standing, with the same oar and steering, and as a rule, there is no stern oar on those gundals, but without it they steer pretty well.

Licenses for this work can be inherited from father to son, as a result of which it is not easy for an outsider to become a gondolier.

Examples of the use of the word gondola in literature.

Gondola trembled from the wind, And suddenly, in the purple twilight, the altimeter needle broke off, and spun around the scale.

Then the guy climbed onto the fence that separated the balloon from the public, and at the moment of ascent he jumped into gondola.

It won’t work with the Observatory, let’s involve sports organizations - we launched a balloon into the sky, and let those who are preparing to become paratroopers jump from gondolas- without any consumption of fuel and engine resources.

Now the soldiers held the balloon only by gondola and short ends tied to a hoop.

Barcarolle Swim, my gondola, Illuminated by the moon, Rise, barcarolle, Above the sleepy wave.

Usually you could only find tourists here gondolas and yachts and all-terrain vehicles of the ultra-rich on transit aquastradas.

Balloons came to the aid of even such a distant science as archeology. American professor Kent Weeks, for example, went on his archaeological search to gondola balloon.

And now she is being taken to gondola, and the gondolier exchanges conventional cries, melancholy and gloomy, with other gondoliers, before entering some inner channel.

Suddenly, with an imperceptible movement of his foot, the gondolier threw Wilhelm to the bottom gondolas.

On the embankment he saw gondola with two rowers, who was about to leave for Mestre, with a richly dressed young woman, whom he looked at so passionately that the gondolier nodded, realizing that Casanova was looking for a cheap opportunity in Mestre.

She wanted to ask the gondolier about this, but then she felt that gondola stopped at some steps covered with moss.

In the blue field of heaven the golden Vesper shines - the Old Doge floats in gondola With dogaressa young.

Gondolas, equipped with propellers and suspended from elongated balloons, used by Henri Giffard in 1852, Dupuy de Lôme in 1872, the Tissandier brothers in 1883 and Captains Krebs and Renard in 1884, led to certain results, and they should have been accepted in attention.

Oncoming and passing trains began to flash, maneuvering and standing on sidings - passenger and freight cars of all colors and all types, marked by the railways of all European countries, tanks, slag carrier buckets, gondolas with coal, crushed stone, ore, platforms with covered and uncovered tanks, anti-aircraft guns, assault guns painted to look like spotted lizards. And further, as far as could be seen, countless pipes smoked in colorful colors, blast furnaces were piled up, lattice cooling towers, gas tanks, batteries were shrouded in clouds of steam. cowpers and coke ovens, the glass roofs of the workshops, like giant greenhouses, flickered dimly, the spoked wheels of mine lifts flashed, kilometers and kilometers of pipelines, high-voltage lines, portal cranes, suspended cable cars with running strings of trolleys stretched.

And yet it was precisely the cab, the unique carriage, in which Disraeli’s keen and alien gaze saw gondola London.