Murano is a series of islands in the Venetian Lagoon world renowned for it’s artisan glass. In the 1200’s, a growing glass industry had emerged in Venice, but concerns had grown about the dangers of the furnaces used to make them. A law was passed in 1291, that required all glass production in the city of Venice to be produced in Murano to protect Venice from fire. This concentrated all of the production of glass to one area which persists today.
We didn’t have a chance to visit Murano on our first trip to Venice and I wasn’t planning to miss it on our second trip. I was interested in seeing all of the beautiful glass created on the island and get a little insight about the art while we were there.
We took a vaporetto from the main islands of Venice to Murano and began our walk. I understood that this was an area primarily for glass production and sales, but I was still surprised by the number of shops that there were. We exited the vaporetto at the docks known as Murano Colonna and began to walk along the canal on Fondamenta dei Vetrai. We wandered along the canal, admiring all of the amazing glass work created by the artisans in Murano.
After walking around a bit and shopping, we stopped for a drink and a light lunch at Rivalonga bar which is at the Hyatt Centric Murano. We had a nice view of the main canal through Murano. After the quick bite to eat, we headed to what I was really looking forward to, the glass blowing demonstration at the Glass Cathedral.
The Glass Cathedral
The Glass Cathedral is actually the Chiesa Santa Chiara, a church dating back to the 1300’s and was part of a convent for many centuries. In the 1800’s, it became a production facility for glass. Unfortunately, in the 1990s there was a fire and the roof collapsed. After years of vacancy the Belluardo family purchased it with the idea of turning the dilapidated building into a hospitality facility. In 2012, the Belluardo family began renovations of the Church and finished restorations in 2017.
The results of the renovations are spectacular. The Glass Cathedral is primarily an event center that hosts weddings and parties that can accommodate up to 300 people. What I love about this building is the fact that it blends the modern and ancient in a beautiful way. The old brickwork, wooden plank joists, and stained glass windows are accented by colored LED lights. Glass chandeliers and decorations are everywhere. It all makes for a perfect backdrop for a special event.
However, for those of us who aren’t getting married in Venice, we can visit the Glass Cathedral and see a glass blowing demonstration. This of course gives you the opportunity to walk around the facility to see just how beautiful it is and to watch how artisan glass is produced.
The Glass Blowing Demonstration
The tickets for the glass blowing demonstration were 14 Euros each, which you can buy in advance or at the door. We went ahead and purchased it when we got there. They did offer us an alcoholic beverage to enjoy during the demonstration for a small additional charge and of course I said yes.
The demonstration is more of a performance than a demonstration. The Glass Master doesn’t explain what he’s doing, instead he is operating somewhere in the space between glass production and performance art. It is fascinating to watch.
The show begins with the Glass Master putting the blow pipe into the furnace to pull out a mass of molten glass. He then proceeds to blow and turn the mass until he has shaped a pitcher. He attaches it a handle to the pitcher and also pulls the top until it forms a spout.
He continued the demonstration by making a variety of glass sculptures including a fish and a swan. All throughout, he is silently demonstrating how to use all of the available tools to create the shapes that he wants. He also demonstrated how to smoke glass and how to get various colors.
In the span of about 25 minutes, he created a vase, a fish and a swan. The speed and accuracy at which he worked was extremely impressive. The artist then announced the end of the demonstration and thanked us for our time.
This glass demonstration is a perfect compliment to a day in Murano. Walking around the town, gazing at all of the glass masterpieces, you wonder how they make all of this amazing art. Getting an opportunity to watch a true artisan make these pieces in real time is an great experience.
What is also great about going to this particular demonstration is that they aren’t going to hard sell you on anything. I can’t speak from experience, but I have read a number of reviews of other glass demonstrations in Murano and it appears to be common practice for a glass shop to offer free demonstrations, but expect you to buy something in return. We had no intention of buying anything because I didn’t feel like worrying about breaking it on the flight home. They do have some glass for sale at the Cathedral, but they don’t press you to purchase anything.
Going to the Glass Cathedral
Probably the best way to get to the Glass Cathedral is to take a vaporetto to the Murano Colonna docks. When you exit the boats head up along the canal to the right and cross the canal at the first bridge. There is an enormous building right at the end of that bridge and there will be multiple glass blowers doing demonstrations. You could go to any of them, but if you want to go to the Glass Cathedral you need to watch the signs carefully. We almost went to the wrong one.
You can purchase the tickets online at SantaChiaraMurano.com or you can show up and pay at the door. We went during the off-season so it wasn’t busy but if you are going during high tourist season, you might want to consider buying your tickets in advance.
If you plan to spend a few days in Venice there definitely is plenty to do but you should consider a trip to Murano. It is a little calmer, especially during the day, than the main islands of Venice and you will get an opportunity to really get up and personal with the Venetian glass industry. I highly recommend when you are in Murano to go to the Glass Cathedral. It will only take maybe 30 to 45 minutes of your time and you will get to see a beautiful facility and experience a glass blowing demonstration that will give you a greater appreciation for the artform.
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