Canals at The Venetian Experience a Dry Spell

The gondola attraction inside The Venetian resort has closed temporarily for routine maintenance. The outdoor gondolas won’t be affected by the closure, however.

The indoor canals will reopen on Oct. 2, 2013, and the hotel’s singing gondoliers will resume belting out songs in a variety of languages, including the international language of tipping.

Being gawked at is part of the fun.
Being gawked at is part of the fun.

Gondola rides at The Venetian began when the hotel opened on May 3, 1999, the year Prince wrote a song about partying like.

The hotel’s first gondola was christened by The Venetian’s head honcho, Sheldon Adelson, and none other than actress Sophia Loren. Interesting fact: Sophia Loren even came with her own floatation devices.

Gondolas have a fascinating history. Their use dates back to 1094. A couple of random gondola facts to eat up more of your valuable time: All gondolas are black. This was the result of a 16th century decree intended to keep nobles from trying to show each other up with garish ornamentation.

If you look closely at a gondola, you’ll notice the prow (the part up front) has six “teeth.” It’s believed these notches represent Venice’s six districts.

Thanks to our friends at VegasChatter.com for letting us know about the temporary closure of the canals inside The Venetian.