Nine centuries of male monopoly on the canals of Venice came to an end Friday when the first woman passed the grueling test to become a trainee gondolier. Giorgia Boscolo, the 23-year-old daughter of a gondolier is now authorized to take passengers on her gondola while completing her training. “I have always been in love with gondolas, unlike my three sisters, and I used to prefer going rowing with my father to going out with my friends,” Boscolo told Ansa news agency. The flat-bottomed boats are propelled by a standing oarsman and are nowadays used for giving tourists romantic trips through the city. To gain entry to the guild of gondoliers, candidates also have to demonstrate knowledge of Venetian history.
