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The Gondola
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are the blacksmiths who make the ferro (the decorative metal piece at the bow of the gondola) and other items in metal.

They work on ‘phase three’ of the complex work of gondola construction, after the boat has been built, caulked and pitched.

Although the fravi’s work is found in other areas of the gondola, the focal point of their work has always been the fèro (bow iron), also known as a dolfìn, that has become, like the forcola, a symbol of Venice, so much so that its s-shape with its characteristic ‘teeth’ has given rise to innumerable clichéd interpretations (often fuelled by gondoliers and squerariòli).

Unlike the forcola, the ferro di prua is no longer a functional part of the gondola (it was originally used to protect the boat), in fact the ferro can even be dangerous when manoeuvring. Although its size and proportions have varied, its shape has remained the same for centuries.

The ferri were forged in Cadore, an area that provided both iron mines and timber for the squerariòli.  Forging a ferro could take more than a week. Today they are produced in stainless steel (tough and durable, but very expensive) or in aluminium alloy (cheap but fragile and difficult to keep clean); there are also boxed ferri, in welded sheet metal, and hollow ferri. The ferro in stainless steel is cut using an industrial-laser process, but the use of hand-forged ferri is slowly becoming more widespread. The fravo applies his ancient art to the steel piece heated in a furnace. It is then worked on using a mallet and hammer.