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 View of Burano: Rio Giudecca canal, colorful houses and the leaning campanile of San Martino church. | |
  Burano | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°29′09″N12°25′03″E / 45.485771°N 12.417487°E /45.485771; 12.417487 |
| Adjacent to | Venetian Lagoon |
| Area | 210,800 m2 (2,269,000 sq ft) |
| Highest elevation | 1 m (3 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Comune | Venice |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 2,777 |
Burano is anisland in theVenetian Lagoon,northern Italy, nearTorcello at the northern end of the lagoon, known for its lace work and brightly coloured homes. The primary economy is tourism.[1]
Burano is 7 kilometres (4 miles) from Venice, a 45-minute trip fromSt. Mark's Square byvaporetto, a Venetian water bus.
The island is linked toMazzorbo by a bridge.[2] The current population of Burano is about 2,800.[3] Originally, there were five islands and a fourth canal that was filled to becomevia e piazza Baldassare Galuppi, joining the former islands ofSan Martino Destra andSan Martino Sinistra.[4]
Burano has historically been subdivided into fivesestieri, much like Venice. They correspond to the five original islands. The sixth sestiere is neighboringMazzorbo:
| Sestiere | Area[5] | Population | Density | Map | |
| San Mauro | 6.8ha | 818 | 12,029 |  | |
| Giudecca[6] | 2.5 ha | 255 | 10,200 | ||
| San Martino Sinistra | 4.4 ha | 586 | 13,318 | ||
| San Martino Destra | 5.1 ha | 759 | 14,882 | ||
| Terranova | 2.3 ha | 359 | 15,609 | ||
| Burano (Island) | 21.1 ha | 2,777 | 13,176 | ||
| Mazzorbo[7] | 51.8 ha | 329 | 635 |
Burano 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.
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The island was probably settled by theRomans, and in the 6th century was occupied by people fromAltino, 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.[citation needed]
Although the island soon became a thriving settlement, it was administered from Torcello and had none of the privileges of that island or ofMurano. It rose in importance only in the 16th century, when women on the island began makinglace withneedles, being introduced to such a trade via Venetian-ruledCyprus.[8] WhenLeonardo da Vinci visited in 1481, he visited the small town ofPano Lefkara and purchased a cloth for the main altar of theDuomo 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.[9] Lacemaking on the island boomed again, but few now make lace in the traditional manner as it is extremely time-consuming and therefore expensive.[10]
Burano has been home to great artists such as the composerBaldassare Galuppi who was born in 1706, the singer-songwriterPino Donaggio who was born in 1941 and the sculptor Remigio Barbaro who was born in 1911.[11]
Burano is also known for its small, brightly painted houses,[12] 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.[13] The island is considered among the ten most colorful places in the world.[14]
The heart of the village is Piazza Baldassare Galuppi which is the only square in the village.[15] The Lace Museum, Town Hall, a well made entirely out of Istrian stone and the statue of Baldassare Galuppi made by Remigio Barbaro can also be found in the square.[16]
Other attractions include the church ofSan Martino, with a leaningcampanile and a painting byGiambattista Tiepolo (Crucifixion, 1727), theOratorio di Santa Barbara and theMuseum and School of Lacemaking.[17]
The island forms part of theActv waterbus network. The following lines connect to Burano:
9 (Burano-Torcello)
12 (Fondamente Nove-Murano-Burano-Treporti-Punta Sabbioni)
14 (S.Zaccaria-Lido SME-Punta Sabbioni-Burano)
A night service also operates.
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Local women began making lace in the 16th century after merchants brought back needles from Venetian-controlled Cyprus, where the skill already flourished.
Media related toBurano at Wikimedia Commons
