B.F Signoretti Glass Factory - Murano Island, Venice, Italy
Posted by: 
DougK
N 45° 27.229 E 012° 20.816
33T E 292556 N 5036790
Murano has become synonymous with the art of glass-blowing. In the year 1291, in face of a growing threat of fires, the Venetian Serenissima Republic decreed that all glass factories had to be transferred from Venice to the nearby island of Murano.
Waymark Code: WMWG04
Location: Veneto, Italy
Date Posted: 08/30/2017
Views: 4
Fearing that fire may destroy the city, a decree in 1291 forced Venetian glassmakers to move furnaces to Murano, an island of the lagoon of Venice. By doing so, the Serenissima could gain a closer control over the activities of the Masters, preserving at the same time an art that made Venice famous worldwide.
A typical tour of a Murano Glass Factory starts with a water taxi ride from the main island of Venice. We landed at the dock of the B.F Signoretti Glass Factory. The tour begins with trip through the foundry area where glass is heated and blown by the Masters. A quick demo of a vase was blown from cobalt blue glass. Then a piece of hot glass was turned into a horse within a minute.
Following these demos, the tour group is lead through several display areas showing chandeliers, sculptures, mirrors, vases, glasses and centerpieces. No photography is allowed in this display area. Pieces are available to buy if you like. Finally the tour ends in a gift shop where smaller glass souvenirs can be purchased.
On display at B.F. Signoretti are hand-made chandeliers, created with centuries old basic tools, remarkably light drinking glasses, etched and ornamented mirrors, vases in various shapes and colours, modern sculptures, creations of the imagination and creativity of the glass art masters.
From here we took the water taxi to Burano Island, known for its lace creations. This ends up a nice day trip, taking the public water taxi back to Venice Island.
The History of Sir Bruno Fusato Signoretti's Glass Factory is available as a PDF.
The factory can be seen in Google Street View.
There are other glass factories on Murano island. This may be the one most visited and easiest to access.