In the 16th century, the need to defend itself and maintain dominance over the territories of northern Italy led the Serenissima government to transform the vessel into an agile means of defence, equipped with two rostrums to sink enemy ships. There are few documentary sources that reveal this process of war adaptation, which was subjected to a veritable state secret throughout the century. This is revealed by a study by CNR-Isac published in the journal 'Méditerranée - Journal of Mediterranean Geography.
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https://www.cnr.it/it/comunicato-stampa/11709/quando-in-gondola-si-andava-in-battaglia