Murano
Murano is usually described as an island in the Venetian lagoon, although like Venice itself it is actually an archipelago of islands linked by bridges. It lies about a mile north of Venice and is famous for its glass making, particularly lampworking.
Murano was settled by the Romans, then from the sixth century by people from Altino and Oderzo. At first, the island prospered as a fishing port and through production of salt. It was also a centre for trade through the port it controlled on Sant Erasmo. From the 11th Century it began to decline as islanders moved to Dorsoduro. It had a Grand Council, like Venice, but from the 13th Century Murano was governed by a podesta from Venice. Unlike the other islands in the lagoon, Murano minted its own coins.
In 1291 all glassworkers in Venice were forced to move to Murano due to the risk of fires. In the following century exports began and the island became famous, initially for glass beads and mirrors. 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 chandeliers. Although decline set in during the 18th Century, glassmaking is still the island's main industry.
In the 15th Century, the island became popular as a resort for Venetians, and palaces were built, but this later declined. The countryside of the island was known for its orchards and vegetable gardens until the 19th Century when more housing was built.
Attractions on the island include the Church of Santa Maria e San Donato, known for its 12th Century Byzantine mosaic pavement and said to house the bones of the dragon slain by Saint Donatus, the Church of San Pietro Martire and the Palazzo da Mula. Glass related attractions include the many glassworks, some mediaeval and most open to the public, and the Glass Museum housed in the large Palazzo Giustinian.
Glassmaking
Murano’s reputation as a center for glassmaking was born when the Venetian Republic, fearing fire and destruction to the city’s mostly wood buildings, ordered glassworker to move their foundries to Murano in 1291.
Murano's glassworkers were soon the island’s most prominent citizens. By the 14th Century glass makers were allowed to wear swords, enjoyed immunity from prosecution by the Venetian state and found their daughters married into Venice’s most affluent families. Of course, there was a catch: Glassworker weren't allowed to leave the Republic. However, many craftsmen took this risk and set up glass furnaces in surrounding cities and as far afield as England and the Netherlands.
Murano’s glassworkers held a monopoly on quality glassmaking for centuries, developing or refining many technologies including crystalline glass, enameled 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 are still employing these century-old techniques, crafting everything from contemporary art glass and glass jewellery to Murano glass chandeliers and wine stoppers.
Today, Murano is home to the Museo Vetrario or 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.
The Vetro Artistico Murano Mark
The Vetro Artistico Murano mark administered by the Promovetro Consortium certifies the origin of glass products produced on the island of Murano. Set up by the Veneto Region in 1994, the mark guarantees the consumer's purchase by unequivocally identifying the origin of the object. The mark is a fundamental tool to safeguard one of the symbols of Made in Italy and help in the fight against counterfeit. The existence of the Vetro Artistico is a guarantee of the quality and originality of products coming from such a millenary and unique tradition as that of Murano glass making.
Since 2002, the mark has been present on artistic glass respecting the specific characteristics of the Murano tradition and can only be used by concessionary companies who affix it directly to the object. The mark represents the borsella, a traditional tool for shaping glass, and includes the code of the manufacturing company. It is anti-counterfeit as it cannot be removed without breaking into fragments. Today there are more than fifty concessionary companies and their products can be bought in all sales outlets displaying the mark.
The Promovetro Consortium was set up in 1985 to safeguard, promote and defend original glass production on the island of Murano, always a synonym for unique quality and style. The introduction of the Vetro Artistico Murano mark represents a fundamental milestone for the Consortium which has been its sole administrator in Italy and abroad since 2001. The Consortium is the only body representing the Murano glassworks who can affix the origin mark to their products to make them recognisable on the market in an effort to oppose the numerous attempts at speculation and imitation which damage this Made in Italy symbol. The Consortium is committed to defending the glass making tradition of Murano by providing information to the consumer and through initiatives aimed at heightening public awareness of this unique, precious and inimitable product.
