Overview
The home of glassblowing
Along the Marani canal in the Venetian Lagoon lies Murano. It consists of seven islands, divided by canals and connected by bridges: Isola dei Conventi, San Donato, Navagero, San Pietro, San Stefano, Sacca Serenella and Sacca Mattia.
Located north-east of Venice and accessible by water from Fondamenta Nove, Murano is world-famous for its artisanal glass production. In 1291, the Serenissima decreed that the city's glassworks be moved here to contain the consequences of the disastrous fires generated by the workshops' furnaces. The Glass Museum in Palazzo Giustinian traces its history.
Before the advent of Napoleon, there were 18 parishes, monasteries and convents. Today, only three churches remain active: the Romanesque-style Cathedral of Santi Maria e Donato, the Church of Santa Maria Degli Angeli with its 16th-century bell tower and the Church of San Pietro Martire, which houses many works of art rescued from French plundering by other churches on the island, such as Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels and Saints by Giovanni Bellini and St Jerome in the Desert by Paolo Veronese.
The Palazzo da Mula, a 12th-century building in Venetian-Byzantine style, is well worth a visit. Today, it houses the Town Hall, which organises exhibitions and meetings there.
Murano, 30141 Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
