You’ll notice that all gondolas are painted black – at least 6 glossy coats’ worth. It’s actually the law. Back in the 16th-century when the canals were chock full of 10,000 gondolas, various noblemen tried to one-up each other with fancy designs and bright colors. All that egotistical extravagance started to look a bit garish. So the city passed a law decreeing that all gondolas must be standardized and painted black. No more bells and whistles beyond a curly tail, a pair of seahorses and a fancy ferro at the front. You do see the odd gondola with a little more bling from time to time. Some choose to decorate the interior with golden details, velvet upholstery, carpets or plastic flowers – especially those used for weddings or special occasions. But other than that, they’re all basic black.
From Venice With Love,
Giada
#giadavalenti #PBS #FromVeniceWithLove #GiadavalentiTour
No comments:
Post a Comment