How old is the Murano glass tradition?

Murano glass tradition reaches back more than 700 years. Murano glass history entered a new stage in 1291 after Venice ordered furnaces moved onto Murano Island. Venetian glass work itself started even earlier through Roman and Byzantine influence. By the fourteenth century, Murano ranked among Europe’s top glass centres. Venetian traders carried Murano goblets, mirrors, beads, and jewellery through Mediterranean trade routes. Wealth from those exports helped Venice stay powerful during the Renaissance era. Murano masters invented or refined many methods still used today. Cristallo glass appeared during the fifteenth century. Millefiori, aventurine, enamel painting, and lattimo gained fame across Europe. Napoleon’s invasion in 1797 damaged Venetian trade, as many furnaces closed during that period. Murano later recovered during the nineteenth century after renewed tourist interest plus art exports. Today, only a fraction of old workshops remains active compared with peak centuries.