Gondola

Venice · boats · rowing · Italian history

One oar does it all. A gondolier propels the entire gondola using just a single oar held in their hand, not fastened to the boat. The oar acts as both the engine and the steering wheel at the same time.

Perfectly lopsided design. The gondola is intentionally asymmetrical, meaning it's not the same shape on both sides. This clever imbalance makes it easier to steer and move through the water with one oar instead of two.

Built for lagoon life. Gondolas have flat bottoms that let them glide through shallow Venetian canals and lagoons where deeper boats would get stuck. The flat design spreads the boat's weight across the water evenly.

Venice's iconic vessel. For hundreds of years, gondolas have been the main way to travel through Venice's canals since the city is built on water instead of land. Today, they're beloved symbols of Venice and romantic rides for tourists.