Murano
...its government could promulgate laws and had an own currency, the osella.
The isle is known worldwide for the production of precious blown glass operas, this manufacture was banned from Venice in 1925 and moved to the isle because of the too many incidentals fires happening on the factory ovens that often destroyed or damaged part of the city. It is said also that moving the factories in Murano helps the preservation of the secret of glass blowing art , an inestimable richness for the Serenissima Republic. The glass blower masters were forced to live on the Isle and could move only showing a special pass.
In 1602 were constituted the gold book, where all the islanders were taken to census, the people not present in the book could not work in the glass factory and benefit of the right of all the rest of the islanders.
Amongst the curiosities it is said that the famous bohemian crystals (that in XV nearly put out of business the economy of the isle) where created due to stolen secrets about the techniques of Murano glass masters.
During the Austrian domination the Isle kept the autonomy from Venice an become a municipality. Many of the existing ancient churches (18) were demolished, the monasteries sacked and demolished, today only three remains intact : Santa Maria e Donato, San Pietro Martire, Santa Maria Degli Angeli.
The basilica of Santa Maria and Donato was built on the VII century under the name of Basilica di Santa Maria, the actual name is since 1125 when the corpse of San Donato, recovered after the conquest of Cefalonia. The Church consist in three nave convergent to the central apse, particularly interesting is the pavement in mosaic.
The church of San Pietro Martire was inaugurated in year 1348 in honour of Giovanni Battista bBurned down, rebuilt in 1511 and dedicate to San Pietro Martire, is composed with three nave divided by marble columns. Napoleon Bonaparte sacked many of the operas contained in this church, however there are still many inestimable artworks left. To be remembered the canvas by Giovanni Bellini, “ L’ assunzione della Vergine, “ I Santi a il Doge Barbarigo presentato alla Vergine ed al Putto” , the glass lamps with the famous almonds.
The church of Santa Maria degli Angeli facing the homonymous canal, was erected in 1188 and rebuilt in 1500, the church was rich with painting and jewels lately moved to the church of Santa Maria e Donato, to be remembered that the church has been visited by Enry III king of France and Poland.
Quite interesting also Giustinian Palace, today site of the glass museum, Palazzo Dda Mula (its gothic façade mix the Venetian and Byzantine style of the XII century) and the lighthouse which light (thanks to an ingenious positioning of the mirrors) the port entrance of the Venice Lido. In 1923 the municipality of Murano (that includes also Sant’ Erasmo and Vignole) was suppressed, the isle lost the autonomy and become part of Venice municipality.
The isle of Murano is today completely urbanized and counts on 5.500 habitants.
