Historical Ethnographic Museum of Miners and Quarrymen
In Pescia, the Publio mine tells the history of pietra serena processing
The Historical Ethnographic Museum of Miners and Quarrymen is located on the mountain in Pescia, at 600m above sea level, in the ancient village of Vellano, home of the ten medieval "castella", fortified medieval villages.
In the hills surrounding the village are several pietra serena (a type of sandstone) quarries; sources of repute for the country and its craftsmen and which have employed local miners for years. None of the mines have been lost over time, but only one is still active, unfortunately. Working with sandstone has always been in the blood of the people of Vellano. The quarries have always provided material of the best quality, which, under the skillful work of master stonemasons, has been transformed into little masterpieces of ornamentation or in the streets, bridge parapets, window sills and frames famous throughout the region and even beyond the continent.
The Museum was created in memory of all these "stone workers", whose extremely hard work had made Vellano a renowned center. The museum is an itinerary-exhibition of their working tools, with a collection of minerals, a guided tour of everything related to quarries and mines of all kinds. In addition to the service of guided visits in the mine conducted by experts, some 2000 volumes concerning the subject are available.
