One of my first questions when I first started working here was, “why is it called Hotel Murano?” Seems a little far fetched for a hotel in the Pacific Northwest, but I have to admit, I get it now and they couldn’t have chosen a better name.

Just outside Venice lies another city on the water, Murano. Like Venice, Murano is a group of islands linked by bridges. About 800 years ago, all the glass makers in Venice were forced to move away and to settle in Murano, where their difficult-to-control fires wouldn’t threaten Venice’s many wooden buildings. Due to that high concentration of glass artisans, Murano quickly became famous for producing glass colors and shapes unlike the world had seen before. These craftsmen made everything from beads and mirrors to elaborate chandeliers.

Murano glass was such a valuable commodity that the Venetian government took measures to ensure the preeminence of that industry. They forbade anyone from Murano to travel outside the Republic. This ensured that trade secrets would stay where they belonged – at home. It also restricted local artisans from just packing up to set up shop outside Venice’s jurisdiction. In exchange, the men of Murano were given special freedoms like permission to carry a sword in public. Not a bad deal, really. Especially if you think swords are cool.

So there are a few similarities between Murano and Tacoma. (a) Both cities are glass art meccas, and (b) both cities are located on or near famous and beautiful bodies of water.

Hence, the name for Tacoma’s Hotel Murano. It’s a nod to the Italian city’s ancient glass making leadership, as well as a tribute to the Washington city’s vibrant and influential glass making community. Beautiful.

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