{"id":100191,"date":"2021-09-06T14:12:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-06T13:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=100191"},"modified":"2021-09-22T16:36:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T15:36:00","slug":"the-glass-merchant-of-scent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=100191","title":{"rendered":"The Glass Merchant of Scent"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Islands linked together by water; trade associated with them bought via these waterways from far off eastern distinations. The silk trade routes (a series of ancient trade networks that connected China and the Far East with countries in Europe and the Middle East) allowed the city of Venice to bloosom from its central position within these important seafaring journies, where silks and spices were the key currencies, leaving this floating city a lasting legacy of both perfume and glass. Find out more here in The Glass Merchant of Scent.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The city of Venice is somewhat unique being made up of 118 islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The islands are in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, the northeastern part of Italy, which therefore means the main means of public transportation consists of motorised waterbuses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A city rich in heritage, being part of the historic trade routes that included commerce in silk, grain, and spices, its strategic position on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, within reach of the Byzantine Empire and traders from the Near East, allowed the city to become a hub, a connoctor of sales, receiving goods from the east by sea and selling them forward into the nearby European marketplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venetian merchants of this era established links that reached as far as the Mongol Empire, Persia, as well as Armenia, the Caucasus and Asia Minor, spanning many branches of the historic Silk Roads. Not just the items that were traded, crafts were also disseminated from far away regions including the art of glassmaking which this area became synonymous with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Yet strangly a law from November 8, 1291, confined most of Venice’s glassmaking industry to the Island of Murano (a cluster of islands linked by short bridges) and so when we think of the most elegant glass in the world we make the association of Murano in Venice. One of the most important items perseved in glass is of course delicate fragrances. And so the connection of this city to glass and perfume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Merchant of Venice perufmery brings togehter these two associated crafts into one. Bourne by the Vidal family who have a long tradion within the scented arts with over a century of experience, the line is a celebration of  the cultural uniqueness of Venice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Murano Island (Venice) and hand-blown Murano glass flowers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The family rooted so deeply live and love the city so Marco Vidal who is the CEO of the Perfume line shares a few of his favourite places. There is nothign like hearing first hnd from those situated as to the best places to visit in a city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

.Cent:<\/em><\/strong>Where is your favourite place to have a drink or coffee?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marco<\/em><\/strong>: Certainly the Caffee Florian, the most beautiful caf\u00e9 in the world since 1702. It\u2019s located in St.Mark\u2019s Square<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.Cent:<\/strong>Your Favourite historical place in Italy and why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marco<\/em><\/strong>:The Island of Torcello, where the dream of an impossible city built on water was born. It\u2019s magical<\/p>\n\n\n\n

.Cent:<\/em><\/strong> what is your favourite food market in Venice and why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marco<\/em><\/strong>:I love and enjoy shopping at the ancient Rialto Market where fisherman and farmers present their specialities under the Gothic arches alongside the Grand Canal.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n