Squero di San Trovaso : The workshop and living quarters, resembling an alpine chalet, are quite unusual for Venice
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Squero di San Trovaso

Where gondolas are built

One of the last traditional boatyards in Venice, where wooden gondolas are still built and repaired.

Naval Heritage

What makes this place special

The gondola factory

A squero is a shipyard for small wooden boats, including gondolas. The name derives from the square tool, called 'squara' in Venetian dialect.

A stray alpine chalet

Its architecture is unusual for Venice, resembling a mountain chalet. That's because many of the original carpenters, and the timber they used, came from the Alps.

A chance to observe this unique vessel

The gondola is unlike any other boat in the world: long, narrow, and surprisingly agile, it can be gracefully steered by a single person with just one oar.

Squero di San Trovaso : Flipped over and likely due for a paint job, these gondolas expose their flat-bottomed hulls — an essential feature for navigating Venice's shallow canals

Discover more about Squero di San Trovaso through 8 photos with explanations.

Open gallery

What to experience here

  • Watch skilled artisans craft and repair gondolas by hand.
  • See this iconic vessel up close and out of the water.
  • Do all of this while enjoying cicchetti and a drink from Osteria Al Squero - conveniently located just across the canal.

Guided visit

Email them in advance to arrange a captivating 30-minute tour inside the historic shipyard.

E-mail info@squerosantrovaso.com

Tempted to ride one?

After seeing how they're crafted, you might just want to hop aboard. After all, a gondola ride is the quintessential Venetian experience - timeless, romantic, and unlike anything else.

The most atmospheric rides usually take place along quieter side canals, where the city feels slower and more intimate. Some routes also pass along the Grand Canal or under the Rialto Bridge, where larger boats pass close by and the water feels busier and more dynamic.

Grand Canal : Or swept along in a graceful gondola ride

Gondola rides can be booked on the spot at a fixed city rate: €90 for a 30-minute ride during the day and €110 in the evening or at night. The price is per boat, not per person, and each gondola can carry up to five passengers. Payment is cash only.

You could also book a shared gondola ride online. These are more budget-friendly for solo travelers or couples who don't mind sharing the gondola with others, and they also remove the need to handle cash payments.

Why two identical facades?

Behind the boatyard stands the Church of San Trovaso, notable for its twin facades: a rare feature in Venice.

The two identical entrances were designed to accommodate the city's historic rivals, the Nicolotti and the Castellani, allowing each faction to enter with equal status.

Their fierce rivalry famously spilled over at Ponte dei Pugni, the 'Bridge of Fists', where organised fistfights once took place.

Ponte dei Pugni : Stone footprints marked the start of the fights, but contestants often ended up in the murky canal as the bridge lacked railings

Today, you can still stand on the four stone footprints where the fighters took their positions before the clashes began.

Ponte dei Pugni : story and how to visit

What to see nearby

These attractions are within walking distance of Squero di San Trovaso:

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