Tradition has it that the elements of the prow represent the six sestieri, or neighborhoods, into which the city of Venice is divided, while the small tooth at the back of the neck represents the Venetian island called Giudecca.
Sākotnēji metāla priekšgals pildīja pretsvara funkciju, līdzsvarojot laivu, kuras pakaļgalā airēdams stāv gondoljers, bet tagad ferro ir vienīgi dekoratīvs elements.