First Female Gondolier in Venice

Friday June 26, 2009

Venice got its first licensed female gondolier in 900 years today when Giorgia Boscolo, the daughter of a gondolier, passed the gondolier test, according to ANSA. The gondolier profession was once passed down from father to son but since 2007 potential gondoliers take a six-month course followed by a test. Two years ago another woman won the right to ferry a hotel's gondola even though she is not licensed. A gondola weighs 500 kilograms and it takes both strength and skill to guide them through the canals.

Photo of a gondola © Martha Bakerjian, licensed to about.com