Venice, the city on the water in Italy, world-famous, world heritage whose history goes back centuries. Part of its transportation and transport is through its narrow canals. The wooden boats, the gondolas, are narrow to allow passing. They are crooked and curved so that one skipper, the gondolier, can propel them.
On the bow of the gondolas ( gondola in Italian) is a very metal sword with a very special shape. It is called 'il ferro' (the iron).
The gondola's shiny bow piece has all sorts of meanings. It represents the six districts of Venice with the six strips at the front, the Doge's hat or cap, with the big curve at the top, the Grande Canal, with the long curve at the bottom, and the seventh district (the strip at the back), and more.
The gondolas are all black, which came about after a plague epidemic.
The photo was taken in 2005, at St Mark's Square.
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