Venice is a locality particularly affected by global warming and rising sea levels. Because of this phenomenon, some gondoliers in the city of doges do not hesitate to saw off the tail of their boat, the highest part, to be able to pass under bridges, reports Il Fridaythe magazine of the Italian daily La Repubblicain an article relayed by Geo.
The Italian media speaks of “mutilated gondolas” which would now be the majority in the city of lovers. In the canals of Venice, the tails of the gondolas, called “riccio” (“hedgehog” in French), are therefore becoming increasingly rare even though they are considered a symbol.
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“Venice is more and more frequently hit by the phenomenon of high tides, which are mainly caused by rising sea levels. In these conditions, some days it becomes difficult to pass under bridges,” explains Il Friday.
But the decision to plane the gondolas is not to the liking of the purists. Indeed, Rudi Vignotto, winner of several regattas and historic gondolier, insisted that the presence of the “riccio” is mandatory to navigate the Grand Canal. A gondola manufacturer is also said to have developed a removable tail system depending on the tides, but it has obviously not been adopted by the greatest number.