View source for Murano

{{Short description|Series of islands in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy}}
{{other uses}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2019}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox islands
| name           = Murano
| image_name     = Murano sunset.JPG
| image_size     = 
| image_caption  = Rio dei Vetrai, Murano (2015)
| image_alt      = 
| map            = Italy
| location       = 
| coordinates    = {{coord|45|27|27|N|12|21|13|E|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago    = 
| waterbody      = [[Venetian Lagoon]]
| area_m2        = 
| area_footnotes = 
| length_m       = 
| width_m        = 
| coastline_km   = <!-- or coastline m -->
| elevation_m    = 
| country        = [[Italy]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = [[Regions of Italy|Region]]
| country_admin_divisions_1       = [[Veneto]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = [[Provinces of Italy|Province]]
| country_admin_divisions_2       = [[Province of Venice]]
}}

'''Murano''' is a series of islands linked by bridges in the [[Venetian Lagoon]], northern [[Italy]]. It lies about {{cvt|1.5|km|mi|0|abbr=off}} north of [[Venice]] and measures about {{cvt|1.5|km|mi|0}} across with a population of just over 5,000 (2004 figures).<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=pUmhVGQxMGkC&pg=PA171 ''Venice, the tourist maze'', p. 171], Robert Charles Davis, Garry Marvin, 2004</ref> It is famous for its [[glass making]]. It was once an independent ''[[comune]]'', but is now a ''[[frazione]]'' of the ''comune'' of [[Venice]].

==History==
[[File:Murano-view.jpg|thumb|View from a bridge on Murano, overlooking the ''Canal Grande di Murano'']]
[[File:MuranoSantaMariaeSanDonato20031230.JPG|thumb|[[Church of Santa Maria e San Donato]], Murano]]
Murano was initially settled by the [[Veneto#Roman period|Romans]] and from the sixth century by people from [[Altinum]] and [[Oderzo]].  At first, the island prospered as a [[fishing port]] and through its production of [[salt]].  It was also a centre for trade through the port it controlled on [[Sant'Erasmo]].  From the eleventh century, it began to decline as islanders moved to [[Dorsoduro]].  It had a [[Grand Council (Murano)|Grand Council]], like that of Venice, but from the thirteenth century, Murano was ultimately governed by a ''[[podestà]]'' from Venice.  Unlike the other islands in the [[Venetian Lagoon|Lagoon]], Murano minted its own coins.

Early in the second millennium hermits of the [[Camaldolese Order]] occupied one of the islands, seeking a place of solitude for their way of life. There they founded the [[Monastery of St. Michael (Murano)|Monastery of St. Michael]] ({{langx|it|S. Michele di Murano}}). This monastery became a great center of learning and printing. The famous [[cartographer]], [[Fra Mauro]], whose maps were crucial to the European exploration of the world, was a [[monk]] of this community. The monastery was [[suppression of Monasteries|suppressed]] in 1810 by [[France|French]] forces under [[Napoleon]], in the course of their conquest of the [[Italian peninsula]], and the [[monk]]s were expelled in 1814.  The grounds then became Venice's major cemetery.

In 1291, all the [[Venetian glass|glassmakers in Venice]] were required to move to Murano.<ref name="Kohler">Lucartha Kohler ''Glass: An Artist's Medium'' {{ISBN|0-87341-604-X}}  p. 12</ref> In the following century, [[export]]s began, and the island became famous, initially for [[glass beadmaking|glass bead]]s and [[mirror]]s.  [[Aventurine glass]] was invented on the island, and for a while Murano was the main producer of glass in Europe. The island later became known for [[chandelier]]s.  Although decline set in during the eighteenth century, glassmaking is still the island's main industry.

In the fifteenth century, the island became popular as a [[resort]] for Venetians, and [[palace]]s were built, but this later declined.  The countryside of the island was known for its [[orchard]]s and [[vegetable]] gardens until the nineteenth century, when more housing was built.

Attractions on the island include the [[Church of Santa Maria e San Donato]] (known for its twelfth-century [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] [[mosaic]] pavement and said to house the bones of the [[dragon]] slain by [[Donatus of Arezzo|Saint Donatus]] in the 4th century), the [[Church of San Pietro Martire (Murano)|church of San Pietro Martire]] with the chapel of the Ballarin family built in 1506 and artworks by [[Giovanni Bellini]], and the [[Palazzo da Mula]].  Glass-related attractions include the many glassworks, some [[Mediaeval]] and most open to the public, and the [[Murano Glass Museum]], housed in the large [[Palazzo Giustinian (Dorsoduro)|Palazzo Giustinian]].

==Murano glassmaking==
{{Main|Murano glass}}
[[File:Murano making a Glass Horse.jpg|thumb|[[Glass making]] in Murano]]
[[file:Lampadario in vetro di Murano - Ca' Rezzonico, Venice.jpg|thumb|Chandelier in [[Murano glass]]]]
Murano's reputation as a center for glassmaking was born when the [[Venetian Republic]], fearing fire and the destruction of the city's mostly wooden buildings, ordered glassmakers to move their furnaces to Murano in 1291. [[Murano glass]] is still associated with [[Venetian glass]].

Murano's glassmakers were soon numbered among the island's most prominent citizens. By the fourteenth century, glassmakers were allowed to wear swords, enjoyed immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state and found their daughters married into Venice's most affluent families. While benefiting from certain statutory privileges, glassmakers were forbidden to leave the Republic. However, many of them took the risks associated with migration and established glass furnaces in surrounding cities and farther afield&nbsp;— sometimes in England and the Netherlands.

Murano's glassmakers held a monopoly on high-quality glassmaking for centuries, developing or refining many technologies including optically clear [[glass]], enamelled glass (smalto), glass with threads of gold (aventurine), multicolored glass ([[millefiori]]), milk glass (lattimo), and imitation gemstones made of glass.  Today, the artisans of Murano still employ these centuries-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass jewellery to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers.

Venice kept protecting the secret of the production of glass and of crystal but, notwithstanding it, the Republic partially lost its monopoly at the end of the sixteenth century, because of some glass makers who let the secret be known in many European countries.

Today, Murano is home to the Museo del Vetro or [[Murano Glass Museum]] in the Palazzo Giustinian, which holds displays on the history of glassmaking as well as glass samples ranging from Egyptian times through the present day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.venicewinetour.com/murano/ |title=Murano. The island of glass |website=Venice Wine Tour |access-date=16 February 2019 |archive-date=29 March 2016 |date=25 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329014100/http://www.venicewinetour.com/murano/ }}</ref>

Some of the companies that own historical glass factories in Murano are among the most important brands of glass in the world. These companies include Venini, Alessandro Mandruzzato [http://www.yalosmurano.it Ferro Murano], [[Barovier & Toso]], Simone Cenedese [https://www.simonecenedese.it/] and [[Seguso]].  To protect the original Murano Glass art from foreign markets, the most famous Glass Factories of this island have a trademark that certifies glass made products on the island of Murano.

The oldest Murano glass factory that is still active today is that of [[Pauly & C. – Compagnia Venezia Murano|Pauly & C.&nbsp;– Compagnia Venezia Murano]], founded in 1866.

===Government protection===

As part of a broader view of protection and enhancement of typical and traditional Veneto product manufacturing and marketing, the Veneto Region protects and promotes the designation of origin of artistic glassworks created on the island of Murano, since glasswork is an inherent part of Venetian historical and cultural heritage.

The "Vetro Artistico Murano" trademark, filed and registered at the [https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/000481812 European Office for Harmonisation] in Alicante, no. 00481812, has been established and is regulated by [http://www.consiglioveneto.it/crvportal/leggi/1994/94lr0070.html?numLegge=70&annoLegge=1994&tipoLegge=Alr Regional Law no. 70, 1994].

===Link to Warsaw===

In the seventeenth century, the Murano-born Simone Giuseppe Belotti (in Polish, Szymon Józef Bellotti) became Royal Architect to the [[King of Poland]] and took part in designing some of [[Warsaw]]'s most important landmarks ([[:pl:Józef Szymon Bellotti]]). The [[Muranów Palace of Warsaw|palace]] he built for himself was named after his native island, "Muranów"&nbsp;— a Polish pronunciation of "Murano".  This palace eventually gave its name to the entire surrounding district. [[Muranów]] was and remains one of Warsaw's most well known areas, especially associated with the city's Jewish history.

==Geography==
Murano is composed of seven islands in the [[Venetian Lagoon]], linked by bridges over eight channels.
<gallery mode=packed heights=230px>
File:Isole di murano.png|The seven individual islands of Murano
File:Rii di Murano.png|The eight channels separating the islands of Murano
</gallery>

==Economy==
[[File:Vaporetti Venice Lagoon.jpg|thumb|Numerous tourists take a [[vaporetto]] from Venice to visit Murano]]
Weakness in the economy has affected Murano but some 260 companies remain in operation, employing 1,100 staff members (2016 data) and the island receives numerous tourists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://24o.it/WeI5Xh |title=Murano glass museum marks the rebirth of four earthquake-damaged chandeliers |website=24o.it |access-date=16 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.businessdestinations.com/destinations/muranos-merchants-of-venice/ |title=Murano's merchants of Venice |first=Callum |last=Glennen |website=Businessdestinations.com |access-date=16 February 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of islands of Italy]]
*[[Murano Lighthouse]]
*[[Murano Beads]]
*[[Murano glass]]
*[[Venetian glass]]
*[[Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro|Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro (Experimental Station for Glass)]]
*[[Muranów]]
*[[Nissan Murano]]

==Notes==
On 8 July 1797 was published the first comprehensive history book [https://books.google.com/books?id=WnE5AAAAcAAJ "Notizie Istorico-geografiche Murano", 1797.] about the history of Murano.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Murano}}
{{commons category|Murano}}
{{EB1911 poster|Murano}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090221122155/http://www.promovetro.com/portal/index.php?&lang=2 Promovetro consortium]
*[https://archive.today/20121209070714/http://www.regione.veneto.it/marchiovetrodimurano Regione del Veneto&nbsp;— Official owner of "Marchio Vetro Artistico di Murano"]
*[http://www.lifeinitaly.com/tourism/veneto/murano-island.asp Murano description from lifeinitaly.com]

{{Portalbar|Geography|Islands|Italy}}
{{Islands of the Venetian Lagoon}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Murano| ]]
[[Category:Islands of the Venetian Lagoon]]
[[Category:Geography of Venice]]
[[Category:Frazioni of the Metropolitan City of Venice]]
[[Category:20th-century establishments in Venice]]<!--became part of city of Venice-->
[[Category:Former municipalities of Veneto]]