If you decided you just had to add a gondola to your collection of vintage Rolls Royce automobiles, antique beanbags, etc., then you would probably head to the squero (boatyard) near the Chiesa San Trovaso, in Dorsoduro. But, you wouldn’t just pick one off the shelf, laddie. These beauties are custom made; that may be why you are called a “custom-er”!
So, your name would go onto the waiting list, and then, when you reach the heady heights of the top of that list, you may still have at least another year to wait and twiddle your thumbs. By that time, you will have saved up enough spare cash in your gold plated piggy bank to pay for this magnificent craft. (I do hope you know how to row standing up, facing the front of the boat, by the way?)
Squero, San Trovaso
They also repair gondolas and other types of boats
Getting its bottom tended to
You can find out more about this skilled craft on internet sites such as this one:
http://www.reidsitaly.com/destinations/veneto/venice/sights/squero_san_trovaso.html
Hello World 
Lovely to be transported back to Venice – thank you Yvonne ☺️
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I always wanted a ship
For my fool
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🙂
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Comme je n’ai ni la Rolls, ni la Jaguar, ni la Ferrari pour l’accompagner, alors je crois je préférerais uniquement un petit sandolo pour me promener sur les eaux des rii, mais pour cela il faudrait que je vive toute l’année à Venise !
bon dimanche
Danielle
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Watch for my next post; I may have just what you want!
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Thanks for that, Bert. It is lovely to know that some of these artisans are still practicing this skill. I just found it on Venice 360. [And, I’ve sidled past a squero in Cannaregio, also.]
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There is another squero quite near to the San Trovaso one that doesn’t get anything like the attention that the San Trovaso squero gets – the Tramontin squero, which can be seen from the Ponte Sartorio over the Rio de l’Avogaria, Dorsoduro. They have a very good website: http://www.tramontingondole.it/ing-home.htm
I cannot confirm Andrew’s tale, but I have heard the same one.
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Andrew, please put that on your “To find out when I have a spare moment while I am in Venice” list.
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I heard that it looks like an Alpine cottage because the first gondola builders were from the Dolomites. They were used to working in wood and were able to adapt to boat building. Be interested if anyone can verify this.
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Keep saving, Darlene, it will be worth it. Mind you, Bill might pose a few objections. 🙂
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Can I get a cute hunky gondolier to go with it?
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Wonderful photos! I’ve walked by this place but never stopped to really look or take pictures. I’m intrigued by those golden leaves in the second story in the first photo. House plants?
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Hi, Annie
I’d love to be able to get right inside there, to see these craftsmen at work. Yes, that would be a plant of some description in the first photo. The workshop looks like an Alpine cottage. I’ll try to get more comprehensive photos next time.
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