Gondola Prow Ferro – Venice, Italy
When you look at a Venetian gondola, it is impossible not to notice the metal blade on the prow of the boat. The practical purpose of this ferro was to act as a counterweight to the gondolier, however, the design includes much symbolic meaning. The S-shape represents the turns of the Grand Canal, the six fingers stand for the six districts of Venice, the curved top is the Doge’s cap (Doge was the elected chief of state), and the arch between represents the Rialto Bridge. With boats being the most practical mode of transportation within the shallow canals of Venice, the gondola has long been the most elegant. The ferro has become a symbol of the gondola, which in turn is a symbol of Venice.
Early Morning Cleanup – Venice Italy
Mercato di Rialto, the fruit, vegetable, and fish market near the Rialto Bridge in Venice, has been running for hundreds of years and it is still where local chefs and home cooks come to stock their kitchens. This early morning cleanup at Campo San Giacomo di Rialto is in preparation for what will certainly be another bustling market day.
Support – Venice Italy
'Support', a sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn temporarily installed in Venice in 2017, depicts a pair of colossal hands rising out of the Grand Canal, seeming to hold up the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel. The human hands appear to prop up the historic hotel from falling into the water, symbolizing the threat that climate change has on history, but also the power that mankind has to stop it.
Gondola Dock – Venice, Italy
Sitting on the Grand Canal, a few steps from the Rialto Bridge, is the gondola dock in front of the Hotel Marconi and a lovely stretch of expanded sidewalk to allow waterside dining. In this early morning view, the sidewalk in uncharacteristically empty, and the gondolas are still covered awaiting a full day traversing Venice’s network of canals.
Ponte de le Colonne – Venice, Italy
Ponte de le Colonne is one of the many bridges that cross the Rio Fuseri, a small canal within the San Marco district of Venice. Constructed in 1790, this stone bridge gets its name from the columns (Colonne) which support the portico that leads to the bridge. This is a rare early morning view before the bridges and canals are full of people.
Bridge of Sighs – Venice, Italy
The Doge’s Palace (for the elected chief of state), located in the harbor of Venice at Piazza San Marco, has also served the function of the city prison since the mid-16th century. The Bridge of Sighs was built to connect the old prison in the palace with the new prison across the river. Legend has it that prisoners who crossed the bridge on the way to their prison cells would sigh as they caught their last glimpses of Venice through the tiny windows.
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