 Murano is an island of the Venetian Lagoon, located in the North-eastern part of Venice, along the Marani Canal. Like Venice itself, Murano is made up by several smaller islands, two of them of artificial origins, divided by canals and connected by bridges.
It is completely urbanized and is inhabited by about 5,500 people. The island is known all over the world for its century-old craft glass working. In 1295, a decree stated that the glass companies of Venice, which were probably already active before the year one thousand, had to be moved to Murano because the workshop furnaces often caused terrible fires that were particularly serious at that time as the constructions were mainly made of wood.
The Glass art.
Settling all glass companies in Murano helped the Serenissima Republic to better control the industry, also because Venetians were jealous of the glass art that had made them famous all over the world. The glass masters were forced to live on the island and could not leave Venice without a special permit. Despite this, many of them were able to run away and exported their famous techniques abroad. The most important crisis that hit the industry occurred in the 15th century when the Bohemia crystals started to be manufactured, probably inspired by Murano glass. Venice was able to overcome the crisis when they started making chandeliers that are still now one of the best known works made in Murano.
Only the glass masters, even if not noblemen, could marry noble ladies. In fact, the Republic issued a decree, after a series of riots that occurred in the Major Council of Murano, stating that the Murano citizenship could be given only to those who were born on the island or bought estates on it. In 1602, the podestà Barbarigo used the Golden Book to register the islanders. It was neither easy nor fast to be registered and the registration occurred only after the Republic’s consent. A person who was not registered could not do any kind of work in the glass workshops, could not take part in the councils and could not enjoy the benefits granted to the other Murano citizens.
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Murano 
