A few years ago, Cenendese, a very successful Murano Glass furnace created a modern Christmas Tree weighing about 4 tonnes, as part of an art project in Murano which involved the collaboration of several other businesses in Murano. There names appear in the plaque which was by the tree. It was installed in the Campo Santa Stefano on Fondamenta Manin in 2006. We all enjoyed it for the joy of the art. It is also in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest tree of glass in the world, a little less than 9 Meters (29.5 Feet). Muranese and Venetians understand the technical difficulties and appreciate it for its size and immagination.

It is enormous as you can see in this picture and weighs approximately 4 tons (8,000 pounds or 3628 Kilograms). It has 900 cylinders of colored glass and a steel frame to hold all this weight. First imagine blowing 900 tubes, cutting them and packing them to ship. It takes a lot of work to set it up and to install the lighting as each of the colorful tubes lights up making really stunning at night. (Sorry I never seemed to be there at night with my camera.)

If has been exhibited in Murano, Venice, Lucca and this year Cenedese installed the tree in the city of Ferrara and hauled the 8,000 pounds and electricians, and furnace workers and steel workers to assemble the tree. It is now sitting in the small square in front of the Duomo di Ferrara  (Church). But in Ferrara, it is not catching on, the citizens are critical and wish to have the traditional green with balls and lights.

Simone Cenedese takes no offense, saying that in Venice and Murano, it was seen in a different light – with the allure of the glass furnaces and an appreciation of the effort. He says if the people do not want to call it a work of art – then call it a glass object. He says that when the people of Ferrara see at night with all 900 colorful tubes alight, they will change their minds.

Ferrara is the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Driving will take you less than 2 hours through beautiful scenery along the A13 towards Bologna. It’s an easy day trip.