The Island of Burano in Venice

The colourful houses are the hallmark of the island of Burano. They are the attractions that people want to see and also the memory that remains most impressed when they leave the island. Legend tells that in the past the fishermen had coloured their homes to differentiate them from each other and to be able to recognize their own from a distance, coming back from the beach after fishing.

Burano is a very quiet island, you can visit in one day and its famous for the peace and colors of the landscape. When you arrive on the island by water, you will see the statue of RemigioBarbaro, Burano artist. Walking along the main road you arrive to the square of the island, the Galuppi Piazza with its shops where you can observe its lace manifacturing, an activity for which Burano is known around the world.  Here you can find typical buranelle taverns, where you can enjoy fresh fish or one of the traditional sweets of the island such as the “Bussolà”, made of flour, butter and fresh eggs. In Piazza Galuppi there is the Church of St. Martin Bishop which houses a painting by Gian Battista Tiepolo. In this square you can admire the island’s most important structures such as the Town Hall, the Chapel of Santa Barbara, the Istrian stone well and beautiful Museo del Merletto. Walking into the characteristics streets of Burano you can find the “Bepi House”, a colorful building that attracts many tourists.

The Lace manufacturing is one of the island’s secular activities. The legend tells that a  fisherman who was already fiancé resisted to  the call of the mermaids. The queen of the mermaids, was impressed by the man’s loyalty and gave him a veil made by the foam of the sea. When the bride put on her veil, her beauty was such charming that all the women of the island, envious of the gift,tried to imitate it using needle and string. In this way on the island began the traditional lace manufacturing.

The Museo del Merletto since 1995 belongs to the complex of the Venetian Civic Museums and is based in the School of Lace of Burano, founded by Countess Marcello in 1872. Since 1978 he began a careful search to rediscover and enhance the art . The rich archive of the School has drawings and documents that form the basis of the Museum. Today there are more than one hundred precious pieces,  dating back until the sixteenth century. You can still watch the handmade works of the lace makers who, every morning, go to the museum to give the opportunity to the tourists to observe closely their technique.

The legend about the island’s saints testifies about a certain “cold war” between the islands of Venice. In the eleventh century  arrived on the banks of Burano a floating stone box. It is said that it came from Mangozaand that not even the strongest men of the island were able to carry it on land. Only four children were able to carry it on the length using the force of their innocence.Inside the box were found the bodies of the Sant’ Albano, San Domenico, and Sant’Orso and a wine barrel also said the “Bottazzodi S. Albano”. So it was that the three Saints, along with Santa Barbara became the patron of the island. Legend tells  that the discovery of the relics created a feeling of  envy among  the inhabitants of Murano, who stole the “Bottazzodi S. Albano”, considering it miraculous. Today the bottle of wine is kept in the Church of San Donato in Murano.

Another legend tells about the relic of St. Alban. This relic, consisting of a gold arm was fused during the plague in order to pay its costs and replaced by a copper arm that, over time, has darkened. It was for this called “the pegola” arm, by which the Venetians and the Murano, mocked the island’s inhabitants. But there is another version of the legend :  a jeweller landed on the island, asked to the inhabitants of the island to merge all of Burano gold to build one arm with precious mineral in honour of St. Alban . Citizens, very devoted, agreed immediately. But once summer came the Burano people realized the scam: from the gold arm began to trickle a dark substance, confirming that the relic was not made by gold, but filled with fish. The jeweller  disappeared and Burano inhabitants became the laughing stock of the islanders.