It’s hard to imagine Venice without the curious, banana-shaped gondolas that glide down the canals. How did these boats come to be the trademark transportation of Venice? In this lesson for TED-Ed, I detail the history of the gondola, explaining why these boats were needed, the painstaking process by which they were made and why they have slowly begun to fade from the once-crowded canals. Have a look:
What are your thoughts and questions about the history of the Venetian gondola? Drop a comment in the box below. I love to hear your stories!
Brava Laura ! What a great visual addition to your wonderful book. I will be in Venice next May and cannot wait to see gondolas again and possibly visit a squero in Dorsoduro, where we will be staying ! Few objects in life are so painstakingly made.
Lorraine, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!
I loved your gondola film! Simple, easy to follow and amusing. Thank you for it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
[…] https://lauramorelli.com/2014/09/05/the-history-of-the-venetian-gondola-a-new-video-lesson-for-ted-ed… […]
At 0.30, there’s a gondola from the 15th century gliding by, in the background. Someone has built a replica, you might see it moored on the Cannaregio Canal, or being rowed by 2 fellows.
Yes, I have seen that boat! So beautiful and evocative. Thanks for the memory. 🙂
Very interesting! Despite visiting Venice several times, we still can’t believe we haven’t sprung for the $100+ US for a gondola ride (though we love hopping on the vaporetto just for the full ride of the Grand Canal).
It’s definitely one of those things you should spring for at least once in your life!
Don’t think the guy who cheers a prima donna with BRAVO! is a boor. He’s actually right. Even Italians do so. French folk at public spectacles employed the word they heard in Italy, for a good, big bad bull at a time when the bullfight was still practiced in Italy. As for “Brava Laura!”, in using the feminine form BRAVA, Lorraine is in step with Italians under the age of 60 who use the B word in accord with the sex of the person being praised, but this is a newer usage and originated as an error. The French picked up “BraVO!” and used it as an invariable word, accented on the last syllable. . This is because the international interjection expressing approval is from the French borrowing of an Italian original. See: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=630387. I.(A ragazza said to be buona is good in bed.) As for una brava ragazzza, un bravo ragazzo: these are compliant, well-behaved kids, not star performers. See 1977 article on BRAVO in my book Papers on Language Theory and History I. To test my thesis, just Google “Bravo, Signora!” You’ll find innumerable hits.
Thanks, Peter, for clarifying, and yes, you are right! It should be BRAVA! 🙂