CAVE DI MARMO
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Visiting the quarries of Carrara is a real experience, we learn why this marble was the favorite of Michelangelo.
The place should amaze nature lovers and stun the rest. Carrara's open-air marble quarry is a sight to behold like few others in the world. There are four places to visit in particular: the Torano basin, the Vara bridge, Frantiscritti and Colonnata. It's easy to spend an entire day wandering the hills of this exceptional site. The area's unique geographical position, wedged between mountains and sea in such a short distance, has for centuries nurtured a unique flora and fauna.
Quarried for more than 2,000 years, Carrara is famous for the exceptional whiteness of its marble, already prized by the Romans. The David of Michelangelo, who personally came to choose his blocks, also contributed to its renown during the Renaissance. Today, there are 80 active quarries, from which 700,000 tons of marble are extracted every year by some 200 companies. The quarrying of Carrara marble has been going on since Roman times, and today, at the foot of the Apuan Alps, it's construction machinery that moves back and forth between the wall and the void. In recent years, demand for marble has grown steadily in Saudi Arabia, India and South America.
At the Fantiscritti quarries, a free open-air museum explains the evolution of quarrying techniques and the history of marble working (open daily, 9am-7pm).
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Members' reviews on CAVE DI MARMO
On croise de nombreux camions qui transportent des blocs de marbre de toutes les grosseurs . Sur la route a Gauche en montant on découvre une boutique de souvenirs, avec a l'extérieur un petit musée des outils utilisés pour le travail dans ces carrières, il y a aussi la maquette d'une carrière qui donne un aperçu de l'ensemble . Très instructif .
Mérite le détour . Jean Paul
Cependant, pour une expérience complète, je recommanderais de faire une visite guidée organisée pour aller à l'intérieur des tunnels creusés par l'homme, ça doit être impressionnant.