CURIOSITIES ABOUT VENICE
THE LION IN PIAZZA SAN MARCO
The Lion statue in Piazza San Marco was the official symbol of the Serenissima, and it's still is the symbol of the city. It has probably oriental origins. In its legs there is a book with a Latin sentence: "Pax tibi Marce, Evagelista Meus."
THE NAMES OF THE STREETS
The names of Venetian Streets constitute a distinctive peculiarity of the city. They do not have the common names of streets in the other cities such as via for Italian, street/road/avenue for English/American, Straße for German or rue for French. They fellow their own rules.
The terms preceding the name of the streets are mainly these:- RIO: street
- CALLE: street
- FANDAMENTA: street overlooking a channel
- RIVA: street overlooking the Grand Canal
- CAMPIELLO: small square
- CAMPO: square
The names have very ancient origins usually related to professional arts, comemrcial activities and origin of the inhabitants. The term Mercerie was originally the name to indicate an area where clothes were traded. Names like CALLE dei PRETI, CALLE delle MUNUGHE, RIVA dei RAGUSI referred respectively to the priests, sisters, and inhabitants coming from Rovigo who lived there. Names like CALLE dell'ABBAZIA, CALLE del TEATRO, are names taken from the main palace where they are located.
THE GONDOLA
The gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat that it's made entirely by hand.
The word "gondola" seems to have various ancient origins: it is believed in fact that it derives from the greek word
"kondi" which means "shell": otherwise it may come from the Latin "cymbula" (little boat) or "cuncula", having the same meaning of "kondi".
Since 697 gondolas were the main means of thranportation in Venice. 
At the beginning they were very sumptuous and full of different colors, today they are black-colored, because a Sumptuary law of the Serenissima that requires that gondolas should be painted black.
Eleven metres in length, 600 kilos in weight, gondolas are composed of 280 pieces using different types of woods.
A gondola is long and narrow with an asymmetrical outline (the left side is bigger than the right one), and a good deal of rocker in order to decrease the contact with water.
The external iron ornament is called the ferro; it protects the prow from accidental damage. Due to its structure, the gondola can navigate only in shallow water.
It is very nice to listen to the gondoliers speak the Venetian dialect:
- Sià de longo! : Go ahead!
- Sià stali! : Stay on the right!
- Sià Premi : Put attention!
Gondolas are certainly a nice and emblematic symbol of Venice: however, it is not cheap to ride in one.
If you want more information about this curious kind of transportation, visit our special section on venetian gondole!!
Official site of gondola:www.gondolavenezia.it
The source of Italian word "Ciao!"(Hi or Hello in English) is Venetian. In fact the word derives from the sentence "Sciavo vostro" that Venetians said between them in salute.
THE TIRAMISU
It's one of the most popular desserts served in many Italian restaurants. It means "pick-me-up" ("make me happy" if you allude to a more sexually content).
There are a couple of versions about its origin: Some people say the history of "tiramisu" comes back in the Renaissance when Venetian women gave the desserts to their man because they believed it was good to make love better.
Others believe that once Venetians courtesans used "tiramisu" to pick-themselves-up during the night.
ELENA CORNARO: THE FIRST GRADUATED WOMEN
Many may not know that the first graduated women was in Venice. Her name was Elena Cornaro, and she was the daughter of a wealthy patrician man.
She studied several humanistic subjects such as history, theology and philosophy. She also obtained the degree of philosophy at the University of Padua.
