Fondamenta di Carico/Scarico

This article is about the Fondamenta category of docks. For information about Fondamenta category of streets, see Fondamenta.

This article contains information about a typical Venetian fondamenta.

For a list of fondamente, see Fondamente di Carico/Scarico.

An example of a Fondamenta di Carico/Scarico.

A fondamenta di carico/scarico, or known more simply as a fondamenta, is any strip of sidewalk along a canal where there is the ability for a boat to secure itself to the dock. The material used to create a fondamenta is Istrian stone and/or brick for the base and the surface is usually paved with trachite or porphyry. One way to think about a fondamenta is as a loading zone where spots are convenient for people such as cargo drivers to unload items from their boat. Drivers are also able to load and unload their boats to islands without it protruding into the canal. Not having a dock that protrudes into the canal is important for some parts of Venice because some canals are narrow and if the dock protruded into the canal, it could cause that canal to be inaccessible to other boats.

Condition Ratings

When surveys are conducted, the condition of each fondamenta, their condition was noted according to the scale below.

3 - Good

2 - Average

1 - Poor

0 - Very Poor

Usability Ratings

Another piece of data that is recorded with each survey is the usability of a fondamenta. Its usability was noted using according to the scale below.

0 - Difficult to use for structural reasons

1 - Difficult to use with high tide

2 - Difficult to use with low tide

3 - Unusable due to the lack of poles, hooks, or rings

4 - Inaccessible by water

5 - Difficult to utilize

6 - Usable

7 - Inaccessible by land

8 - Inaccessible by land freight wagon

99 - None

See Also

• Fondamente di Carico/Scarico
• Dock
• Docks