Murano, Glass-making island in Venice, Italy
Murano is a cluster of seven small islands in the Venetian Lagoon system, situated roughly a mile and a half north of Venice's historic center. The islands are connected by stone bridges, and narrow canals divide the settlement into several sections.
The Venetian Republic moved all glass furnaces from the main city to these islands in 1291 to reduce the risk of fire in the densely built capital. Over the following centuries, a closed community of glassmakers developed here with closely guarded techniques.
Glass furnaces still burn in workshops along the canals, where craftspeople work using methods passed down through centuries. Visitors can watch through open doorways as molten glass is shaped into vases and sculptures.
Water buses depart regularly from several stops in Venice and reach multiple docks on the islands. The main landing point is near the lighthouse, from where workshops and churches can be explored comfortably on foot.
Inside the Basilica Santa Maria e Donato, four large bones rest behind the altar, said by legend to belong to a dragon slain by Saint Donatus. They are most likely the ribs of a prehistoric whale.
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