Carrara Marble – Marmo

Carrara Marble bathroom – Hotel Albani Firenze

Carrara marble, floor to ceiling in the bathroom, I always admire the style.  I made a detour into the Appennino Mountains to Carrara, Italy to see the quarries.  You can see the quarries from the highway, a stunning manufactured landscape, and we kept driving into the mountain towards them.  There are approximately 300 quarries in the area, some that date back to Roman times, which actually makes this the oldest industrial site in continuous use in the world.

Fantiscritti Marmo Quarry

This quarry and others offer tours, but we were too early.  There was a small museo, small shops and a carving area in addition to the heavy machinery opperating.

A large crane that moves the blocks of marmo

View west to the town of Carrara and beyond to the seaside town of Marina di Carrara

In the town of Carrara there is a square in which the White Marmo Duomo is located.  Also in this square is the house where Michelangelo would stay on his visits to select the marble for his sculptures.  The road that takes you directly to the ocean has many workshops and showrooms along the way as well as there is more information at the Museo Civico del Marmo.

All photos Sue Womersley.

Marble Sculpture Fantiscritti quarry

Yes, this sculpture is beside the parking lot, and that is crushed marble gravel, and marble is used as curbs even.