A woman has passed the gruelling test to become the first female gondelier on the canals of Venice in nine centuries.
The 23-year-old daughter of a Gondolier, Giorgia Boscolo, got one of the 22 places available.
There were two other female candidates but they failed to gain admission to the guild of gondoliers.
Ms Boscolo is now authorised to take passengers on her gondola while completing her training.
She said: 'I have always been in love with gondolas, unlike my three sisters, and I used to prefer going rowing with my father to going out with my friends.'
Her father, Dante, said being a gondolier was 'a job that requires a lot of physical strength, but with experience you need less effort and my daughter has lots of experience'.
The flat-bottomed boats are propelled by a standing oarsman and are nowadays used for giving tourists romantic trips through the city.
To gain entry to the guild of gondoliers, candidates also have to demonstrate knowledge of Venetian history.
