Cascina carpentry
Manual skills that become art in the "wood village" of the lower Valdarno
The artisanal tradition of the Pisan province boasts many high quality products. Among these emerges the art of wood, carpentry, to which one of the oldest professions in the world is linked and which is at the centre of Cascina with refined craftsmanship.
The historic tradition of carpentry and furniture making has elevated Cascina to the capital of furniture, even since the end of the 19th century when it vaunted numerous workshops and family-run businesses engaged in woodworking.
There were and are many carvers, sculptors, cabinetmakers and designers, among whom is the contemporary Paolo Grigò. Excellent artisans have made craftsmanship an art and turned Cascina into a renowned point of reference, year after year. Expert hands with incredible manufacturing skills have shaped wood to enrich the imposing complex of the Certosa di Calci, creating the shelves and counters of the beautiful adjoining pharmacy, and the interiors of the hearth with functional furnishing and attractive lines.
The thriving production came to a halt due to the crisis at the beginning of the new millennium, a period in which some companies closed, but this has not affected the quality and valuable experience of the "golden hands" of the Cascinesi, who still pass on the knowledge and secrets of the transformation of wood into true masterpieces of art.
