Murano

I took a boat tour which I think is ballsie for someone who gets motion sickness. I took pills and wear acupressure bands. It worked out perfectly.

Murano glass is famous all over the world with good reason. The glass blowers are magic. They study for years to master their craft.

I had the opportunity to take a tour in the factory and get to see firsthand an artist at work.

There are a couple of young German tourist with me on this tour. After the glass demonstration, we ended up going to this beautiful church. Upfront in this quiet church I had a coughing fit that I cannot control. I drank water tried to breathe. Nothing helped one of the German tourist gave me a cough drop. It finally settled down.

As we were walking back to the boat, the other gal said, “ how unfortunate to have such a loud cough and such a quiet place.”
I guess I made a scene or at least one hell of an impression

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The history of Murano glass production began in Venice around the year 1000, and furnaces were officially ordered to relocate to the island of Murano in 1291 by Doge Pietro Gradenigo to prevent destructive fires in Venice's largely wooden city and to control trade secrets.

Key Milestones in Murano Glass History

• 1291 Relocation Decree: The Republic of Venice mandated moving all glass furnaces to Murano. Glassmakers gained special social privileges (such as noble intermarriage rights) but faced severe penalties, including death or imprisonment, if they leaked techniques or left the island without permission.
• 15th-Century Golden Age: Master glassmaker Angelo Barovier invented cristallo in the mid-15th century—a remarkably clear, pure, transparent glass resembling rock crystal. Murano glass became a coveted status symbol for European courts and the Pope.
• The 17th-Century Decline: The devastating plague of 1630, economic shifts, and rising competition from other European glassmaking hubs slowed production.
• The 19th-Century Revival: Following the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797 and Napoleonic disruptions, the craft was resurrected in the 1850s and 1860s by visionaries like Antonio Salviati, the Fratelli Toso, and Vincenzo Zanetti (founder of the Murano Glass Museum in 1861).
• Modern Era: The 20th century blended traditional techniques with contemporary art, collaborating with renowned modern artists and establishing the official Vetro Artistico Murano origin trademark in 1994 to combat counterfeits.Read more