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All the United States California Los Angeles Traffic Circle Gondola

Traffic Circle Gondola

A lonely Gondola stuck on a traffic circle sits in a spot where it once would have floated down the Grand Canal.

Los Angeles, California

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  Annetta Black/Atlas Obscura
The Gondola in its new home behind a fence.   knoxium / Atlas Obscura User
  icatsstaci / Atlas Obscura User
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While driving down the road in Venice, California it can be easy to forget that many of the roads were once actual canals, and that the traffic was not SUV's but actual Gondolas.

There were about 36 or so Gondolas brought over from Italy by steamship, and they were accompanied by Gondoliers. It was this romantic scene, of gondola's making their way through the canal system and down the Grand Canal (now Grand Blvd) that inspired the "Venice of the West" title.

Stranded and landlocked on the canal turned boulevard is a recreation of a Gondola, painted blue and set down in the middle of a traffic circle.

Today it can be hard to find even one Gondola - though as you drive down Grand Canal you may see one, stranded in a traffic circle. In fact not only can the Gondola not touch water, but if you get close you will see a sign asking that you not touch the fragile Gondola replica.

Nearby it is still possible to glimpse Abbott Kinney's vision for the Venice of America, with neighborhoods set along his man-made canals.

Update January 2018: The Gondola has been permanently moved behind a nearby fence just next to the circle to be repainted and kept from vandalism.

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Edited By

knoxium, icatsstaci

  • knoxium
  • icatsstaci

Published

September 10, 2010

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Traffic Circle Gondola
213 Windward Avenue
Los Angeles, California, 90291
United States
33.988176, -118.47101
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