The long and narrow canoe "Gondola", commonly known as "gondola", is also called "Gondola" and "Gondola". Its history can be traced back to the 11th century. Its slim shape and flat bottom make it ideal for traveling in narrow and shallow waterways.
The gondola hull has an asymmetrical design, so the boat will tilt to one side during sailing. The copper-engraved graphics on the bow represent the Doge's hat and the six administrative districts of Venice. The horizontal bars on the other side represent Giudecca Island, and the gondola is the symbol of Venice. Early gondolas were painted in various colorful colors. Venetian nobles liked to ride on gondolas with exquisite carvings and decorated with silk and satin to compete with each other for wealth. At that time, in order to prevent people from showing off their wealth and to endlessly increase the price of gondolas, the Venetian government stipulated in 1562 that gondolas should be uniformly painted with black hulls, which became the appearance of gondolas seen by tourists today. Now the only space left for these ship owners to show off is the golden seahorses on the stern and two strings, as well as the flower decorations on the ship.
The boat has a load capacity of up to 1,200 kilograms, a sustained speed of three knots, and only one person can paddle. No wonder Rubin de Selvin, director of the Venice Museum of Shipping History, believes that this kind of boat is "the most efficient ship in the world" in terms of the ratio of energy input to speed.
The origin of the gondola:
Like the American clipper and the Arabian dhow, the Venetian boat called the gondola is not only a unique The ship has a magical color. It can be said to be the symbol of Venice floating on the water.
The origin of Venetian boats can be traced back to 1094. At that time, Duke Vito Falier issued a charter granting some villagers the right to build boats.
The shape of Venetian boats has changed over hundreds of years, and has been continuously improved with the development of Venetian society and economy. Its history can be said to be a history of applying Darwin’s theory of evolution in the field of navigation, embodying the dialectical relationship between the boat and its geographical and cultural environment.
Before the city was founded, Venice was still a loose federal tribe composed of several scattered villages. As the population increased, villagers dug many canals. Later, as the canal network gradually expanded, more and more river channels were added, eventually forming the maze-like water transportation network we see today. The 20th century urban planner and architect Lee Cobasier praised it as a "perfect heart system." For the unique development process of the city of Venice, it is impossible to rely mainly on animal power for transportation. There must be a kind of boat that can travel on narrow and difficult canals to travel farther and farther as fast as possible. within a short distance, carrying an increasing number of residents. Thus, Venetian boats came into being.
Gondola boatmen:
There are many "gondola" boats on the beach. The sailors are neatly dressed in distinctive black clothes and hats with floating ribbons. , I don’t know whether it’s for beauty or to divide them into different gangs, all wearing various colored ties around their necks. Sailors wearing the same tie gather together, waiting for tourists to rent a boat to cruise the canal. The "Gondola" sailor is a black-haired, blue-eyed Italian young man, free and easy, eloquent, and gifted with a good singing voice. At this beautiful time, he couldn't help singing an Italian opera.
Barcarolle is a song sung by gondola boatmen and is widely popular in Italy. It became a favorite romantic lyric genre in the 19th century. The melody of the barcarolle is simple, fluent, and leisurely. It is usually in 6/8 time. The strong and weak beats alternate and rise and fall regularly, describing the swaying of the ship. The barcarolle in the second act of French composer Offenbach's opera "The Tales of Hoffmann" is a typical Venetian gondola barcarolle. On a bright moonlit night, the poet Hoffmann's friend Niklaus and the poet's lover Giulietta sat in a gondola, wandering on the canals of Venice, singing this duet, a melody that rose and fell like rippling microwaves, closely With the swaying accompaniment pattern. The whole song is divided into three sections, starting with "Blow, Breeze" is the second section. The melody and lyrics of the third section are repeated from the first section. At the end, Julietta and Nicklaus sang the word "ah" and echoed each other. The singing gradually disappeared into the evening wind. In addition to vocal music, barcarolle also has instrumental music. The barcarolle in instrumental music is a kind of lyrical sketch. Like the barcarolle in vocal music, it has a singing lyrical melody and a swaying accompaniment pattern, and is often written in 6/8 time. Among Mendelssohn's piano music "Songs Without Words", there are three "Venetian Gondola Songs", the first of which "Songs Without Words in G Minor" was written in Venice in 1830. The music is fresh, fluent, beautiful and vivid; the melodious melody and swaying rhythm run through the whole song, creating a musical image of a boat rippling on the water.
The canoe passed through the beautifully designed bridge, and the crowds on the shore were bustling. The sun set, and the sky was filled with rays of light. The two domes of St. Mary's Church became more majestic in the sunset, and the palace towered in the distance. The house scene, boating on the water, floating clouds in the sky, light and shadow in the water, looking up at the mansions of wealthy businessmen on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, renovated in different styles, with colorful flowers on the balconies.
Gondola Competition in Venice:
Every year on the first Sunday of September, such a competition is held on the Grand Canal in Venice. Usually on the Grand Canal The gondoliers boarding the leisurely ferry suddenly changed into traditional costumes from the medieval and Renaissance periods and competed on the Grand Canal.
Gondolas in Italy are no stranger to many people. It is reported that in its heyday, the number of gondolas in Venice once reached more than 10,000. Venice, which is adjacent to the water, has been hosting various boat racing games for centuries, but the most important one is this grand historic boat race in September. This historic boat race has been held since the time of the Kingdom of Venice, held once a year, and has never been interrupted for hundreds of years. The original origin is said to be related to military drills, and then gradually evolved into a competition for community glory. If you come to Venice on the first Sunday in September, the boats on the canals are on their heels and the traffic is jammed. You can Anticipated pomp.
On the day of the boat race, traffic control notices were implemented on the Grand Canal, with limited access from 2:30 to 20:00 in the afternoon. For the Venetian people who use boats as their main means of transportation, this is naturally an important event that affects people's livelihood. For those who want to get a good position first, they need to be alert in advance. Because, before the game time, the canal was already crowded with excited spectators.
The Gondola Race track is held on the Grand Canal, the transportation umbilical cord of Venice. The Grand Canal is 4 kilometers long. Turn back and fight all the way to Foscari Palace. The Foscari Palace has been the final stop of the boat race since the beginning of the boat race, and the temporary judging stand is also the place where the medals are awarded.
The gondola race is divided into team group, men's group and women's group. In recent years, the women's boat race, which has been suspended for many years, has also resumed. This is also the only opportunity for women to ride on the gondola for a whole year. Opportunity to take the helm. The race route started near the train station. Under the applause and shouts of the crowds on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the oarsmen leaned forward and backward, and the rowing boats rotated like a shuttle. Amidst the enthusiastic emotions and constant applause of the audience, the winner raised his head to the sky. Paddle as a tribute.
The most attractive part of this gondola race is naturally the skillful gondoliers. In addition to the formal competition, there is also a performance fleet for entertainment. The boats in the parade are of different sizes. From ancient oars to colorful boats and dazzling aristocratic boats, there are even Dukes and nobles dressed as Renaissance dukes on the boats. Under the shade of the canopy, with waiters manning the oars, they can row gracefully on the Grand Canal. Yeah, move time back to the past.