Museo del Ferro e Giardino dell'Energia rinnovabile di Pontepetri

About the museum

On the Montagna Pistoiese, iron working, using ore from the deposits of the island of Elba, spread as early as the 14th century: dense woodlands and abundant water provided the motive power and fuel for the workshops. From 1543, at the wish of Cosimo I de’ Medici, the area became the first ironworks centre of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

To preserve this history, the Museo del Ferro di Pontepetri was founded and opened in 1999. Together with the Antica Ferriera Papini in Maresca, it forms part of the Itinerario del Ferro of the Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese. Alongside documents and films, the museum displays the tools once used to work iron and some scale models showing the movements of the hydraulic and mechanical machines typical of the ironworks.

In the nearby Giardino dell’Energia Rinnovabile, a section for the use of water power has been rebuilt, with channels (gore) and a bottaccio (reservoir). Water from the Maresca stream drives two large wooden wheels and a tilt hammer (maglio), which reproduce the settings of the ironworks and of the chestnut mill.

Highlights

• Tools and scale models of the ironworks of the Montagna Pistoiese
• Documents and films on ironworking
• Giardino dell’Energia Rinnovabile with water wheels and tilt hammer
• Reconstructed chestnut mill
• Itinerario del Ferro of the Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese

Permanent exhibition

• Museo del Ferro – Tools, models, documents and films on ironworking in the Montagna Pistoiese, with the Giardino dell’Energia Rinnovabile.

Founded

1999

Operated by

Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese

Visitors per year

approx. 750

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission by voluntary donation.

Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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