Monday, September 28, 2009

The Last Navicello

Cargo port, LivornoA view from the top of the “Mastio di Matilde” of the “Fortezza Vecchia”. We usually don't see this part of the port because this is where cargo vessels load and unload, and access is restricted. Just in front of the passenger terminal of the Moby Lines you can see a bulky black thing on a pedestal: it is a “navicello”.navicellonavicelloThe barge was salvaged few years ago in a canal of the “Venezia” quarter, restored and transformed in a monument dedicated to everyone involved in the construction of the “navicelli”, a thriving trade in Livorno at the time.

See also: Canale dei Navicelli - Dogana d'acqua

31 comments:

stromsjo said...

I never figured out how anything could remain reasonably intact over long time periods in the mud at the bottom of canals.

VP said...

@ Per - I forgot to say that some of these boats where still around when I was a kid, abandoned here and there along the canals.
This one was restored in the early 90's and probably salvaged few years earlier, so it could have been no more than two decades in the water...

Unknown said...

This is so unusual!

Lowell said...

Extremely interesting. When the photo is enlarged, you can see clearly how tightly controlled this area is...

Probably due to possible terrorism?

Beautiful old ship and a nice memorial!

brattcat said...

Such an interesting post.

Debbie Courson Smith said...

Thanks for the bit of history.

Sunny said...

I find the barge fascinating. It's a very interesting monument.

gogouci said...

Interesting monument. Amazing it has remained in such good condition after having been under water for a time.

amatamari© said...

Really impressive!!!

Kcalpesh said...

Interesting pictures!

- Pixellicious Photos

cieldequimper said...

Just like the one I saw when I was researching your previous post! I like the general view.

James said...

Very intersting monument. I'm trying to figure out how big it is, but I can't tell how high the fence is.

joo said...

This barge is amazing - I could almost smell the old imprgnated wood!

Unseen Rajasthan said...

Beautiful and Nice shots !!Unseen Rajasthan

VP said...

@ James - Sorry, in three different posts I failed to give this important information: a “navicello” has a lenght of around 18 meters and is about 4 meters wide.

Hilda said...

That's a fascinating boat. It looks like a canoe but huge!

B SQUARED said...

This must be the "newest" old thing in Livorno. Seems like everything else is centuries old.

Benikos place said...

I know these boats also from my country..very nice story, regards

Halcyon said...

Cool! I'm glad they decided to restore and keep this one. It's good to remember one's roots.

Layrayski said...

i thought it was a noah's ark recreation. cool photo. is it really black in its original form?

Ilse said...

I love seeing these old ships. I saw the Wasa ship in Stockholm a few times.

tapirgal said...

I really enjoyed the view over your harbor. Now I can picture it better than I could when looking at the map. I think it's great that they made a monument of this boat. It looks nice on the pedestal with pictures (?) around the base.

VP said...

@ Benikos place - I'd be curious to know how they call these barges...
@ Layrayski - They were black, caulked with tar, I think.
@ Asta - From the tower of the fortress we have quite a good view, but you have to get up there on foot!

VP said...

@ tapirgal - The first dock is the Bacino Firenze (on Google or MarineTraffic). The second is the Alto Fondale, you can spot the yellow cranes on the satellite view. The fourth with the tanker is the Darsena Petroli. The third doesn't exist on maps and is the new Molo Italia built between the other two.
I sneaked inside to get the pictures of the navicello, but there was too much sun to photograph the images around the pedestal. I'll try again, but they don't like strangers taking photos inside.

Clueless in Boston said...

I think it's pretty funny looking. It brings to mind the tricorn hats of yore.

Andreea said...

Nothing left for me to say but "Looks impressive".

Tash said...

How marvelous! I just adore the rugged look they conserved.
If there is an image of Noah's ark that I have it's hull would look like this.

Ellie said...

Noe this look like a perfect place to put some love signs :)
Such a unique view - this boat over the building!

Copenhagen said...

Wow...that boat is huge! I think it's a create way to display an old object.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

WOW! I love that last shot!! nice POV!

Baruch said...

Interesting point of view of the "monument"