Burano: Venice Lagoon Photo Book

Burano, an island in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy, near Torcello at the northern end of the Lagoon, is renowned for its lace work and brightly coloured homes. The primary economy of this island is tourism. Located 7 kilometres (4 miles) from Venice, Burano can be reached by a Venetian water bus, vaporetto, in a 40-minute trip from St. Mark's Square.

Burano is linked to Mazzorbo by a bridge, and its current population is around 2,800. Originally, the island was composed of five islands and a fourth canal that was filled to become via e piazza Baldassare Galuppi, joining the former islands of San Martino Destra and San Martino Sinistra.

Historically, Burano has been subdivided into five sestieri, much like Venice. The island has a high population density, calculated at more than 13,000 per square kilometer, or more than twenty times the density of neighboring Mazzorbo. It is almost entirely covered by residential buildings, with few small green areas.

The island was probably settled by the Romans, and in the 6th century, it was occupied by people from Altino, who named it for one of the gates of their former city. Two stories are attributed to how the city obtained its name: one is that it was initially founded by the Buriana family, and another is that the first settlers of Burano came from the small island of Buranello, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) to the south.

Although the island soon became a thriving settlement, it was administered from Torcello and had none of the privileges of that island or of Murano. It rose in importance only in the 16th century, when women on the island began making lace with needles, being introduced to such a trade via Venetian-ruled Cyprus. When Leonardo da Vinci visited in 1481, he visited the small town of Pano Lefkara and purchased a cloth for the main altar of the Duomo di Milano. The lace was soon exported across Europe, but trade began to decline in the 18th century and the industry did not revive until 1872, when a school of lacemaking was opened. Lacemaking on the island boomed again, but few now make lace in the traditional manner as it is extremely time-consuming and therefore expensive.

Burano is also known for its small, brightly painted houses which are popular with artists. The colours of the houses follow a specific system, originating from the golden age of its development. If someone wishes to paint their home, one must send a request to the government, who will respond by making notice of the certain colours permitted for that lot. Other attractions include the Church of San Martino, with a leaning campanile and a painting by Giambattista Tiepolo (Crufixion, 1727), the Oratorio di Santa Barbara and the Museum and School of Lacemaking.

Murano glass has been made for over 1,500 years, and production has been concentrated on the Venetian island of Murano since the 13th century.

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