To the north-east of Venice, visible from the Fondamenta Nuove, lies the island of glass, Murano.



Probably inhabited since Roman times, Murano owes its name to the refugees from Altino, a Roman city inland a few miles north of Torcello.

Numerous Highborne, in fact, between the end of the sixth century AD. C. and the first half of the seventh, took refuge here to escape the invading Lombards, calling their new land Amurianum, in memory of one of the gates of their city.

Known throughout the world for the manufacture of glass, not everyone knows that it was an edict of the Grand Council in 1292, to move the production of glass in the island. The official reason was to avoid the centralization of dangerous furnaces in Venice so that you could avert the danger of Fires in Venice, often disastrous for the city.

Probably the motivation was purely protectionist, that prevent the true connoisseurs of the art of glass making, glass masters, they could turn away from Venice and taking away such precious knowledge for economic growth of Venice.

Some legends, and you know that behind all the legends there is some truth, some legends say that the assassins were sent to "urge" the return of some fugitives with the imperative order to kill them if they were not able to convince them to return to live in their homeland.

In the central Rio of Glaziers, near the Ponte de Mezo, there is the Colonna del Bando, Column of the Call, where the messenger sent by Venice read aloud the orders made by the Doge or by various Courts who had different and specific tasks on the processing of glass or discharges into the sea on fishing, salt or whatever it was relevant to the island of Murano.

Murano is formed by five islands connected by bridges. Also has its Grand Canal and numerous palaces which are reflected on it. The most ancient remains is certainly the Palazzo da Mula, of the thirteenth century, shows its facade with Gothic rose windows and the balcony overhanging the shore.

On this island the Venetian nobles spent their holiday periods. Many were the homes of various patrician families, including Corner, Querini, Morosini and others.

Of the ancient churches that adorn the island only two remain as still active parishes, the Church of St. Peter Martyr of the fourteenth century, very rich in works of art, including paintings by Giovanni Bellini, Paolo Veronese and Jacopo Tintoretto and Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato, San Dona for Murano's people.

The construction of this beautiful church dates back to the seventh century, but its present form it acquired in the eleventh century. The shape of the Romanesque apse external hexagonal your order of niches adorned with pairs of columns and Romanesque capitals, as well as its splendid mosaics dating back to the ninth century, put it as a must for those who want to have a complete vision of the Venetian art.

The viability of Murano looks around to that of Venice, only the numbering of buildings differs from the city. The Toponymy antique door nomenclatures, Bressagio (deriving from the place intended target for the first Alabastre and then for muskets), Rio of Glaziers, Fondamenta Navagero, but also new names because many roads are opened only in very recent times, calle Antonio and Bartolomeo Vivarini, calle Volpi, etc ...

The beautiful Museum of Glass takes us on an excursus on the total production of Murano Glass, over the millennia, in the history of glass from the Phoenicians to the present day. Some Roman remains have survived in perfect condition they have nothing to envy to some productions of today, they were so perfect in workmanship and read in the forms.

Going to any of the seven vaporetto stops Murano (Murano: how to arrive), Column, Faro, Navagero, Museum, Da Mula, Venier, Serenella, you will find countless shops that offer passersby the best items that can be produced on the island today. Glasses, vases, bowls, lamps and chandeliers and objects of any kind all performed with great skill by the centuries-old Murano glass masters. (Glass glossary)

Some factories of Murano have time specialized in the production of mosaic tiles to meet the demand of the St. Mark's Basilica which in its interior has an area of ​​8000 square meters of mosaics, mostly covered with precious 24-carat gold leaf, to bring out the most light that enters through the large glass facade. The constant attention and constant monitoring of vitreous tiles attached to the main structure of the Church of Venice, could allow the mosaics could successfully overcome the centuries perfectly kept in their original splendor.

The Veneto Region protects and promotes the designation of origin of artistic glass made ​​on the island of Murano, because of the history and heritage of the centuries-old culture of Venice, under the name Brand Artistic Murano Glass. For companies that have joined the association is assigned a brand with its own code that distinguishes each for its own production.

Murano is within easy reach Venice by vaporetto line 41 from Piazzale Roma, lina 42 from Lido, line 5 from St. Mark's Square ACTV, from Treporti with the boat that stops well to Burano, or to Marco Polo Airport with the direct line of Alilaguna.