Whenever I travel I like to be informed about the history and points of interest of the places I visit. Take me for what I am.

There are people who are satisfied with a few hints on a traditional guide, and there are people like me, who want more. I use blogs, websites and specialized magazines to plan my journey carefully, following non-conventional paths as to have a comprehensive taste of the territory I’m visiting.

Starting from this particular need, a few weeks ago – do you remember? – I talked about industrial archaeology and its approach toward tourism. I know that the terms industrial and tourism may not seem to match, but it’s quite the opposite. For this reason, with the support of association Save Industrial Heritage I decided to organize for you an itinerary among the sites linked with industrial history of our region, which are accessible to everybody for free.

To make things easier for you, I divided the itinerary in two, according to the traditional geographical dichotomy, that sees on the one side the Emilia, on the other side the Romagna. Let’s start with the latter!

Sulphur

Where: Via Montecchio, 20 | Novafeltria, Loc.tà Perticara (Rimini)

Sulphur Museum – Novafeltria (Rimini)

The mine of Perticara is the only mine of the great mining district of the Apennines in Romagna to have been restored, and it belonged to one of the main sulphur caves of the late ‘800. The museum testifies the work and technologies used to extract the mineral in the 1900s, with a remarkable display of utensils, machinery and original engines, all in perfect conditions.

Darsena

Where: Via d’Alaggio | Ravenna

City Dock – Ravenna | Photo by Giorgio Biserni

Ravenna’s so-called Darsena is an artificial water basin that connects the city centre with the sea. It is situated right behind the train station, and along its banks are the sites that pioneered industrial, logistic and commercial progress and that characterized the city of Ravenna during the past century. The entire area is undergoing an interesting process of urban, artistic and cultural renewal: from the arena Almagià to the function-space Darsena Pop Up to cross-projects such as street art festival Subsidenze.

ITALIAN MUSEUM OF CAST IRON

Where: ex-church of Santa Maria delle Lacrime | Longiano (Forlì/Cesena)

Italian Museum of Cast Iron | Neri Foundation – Longiano (Forlì/Cesena)

Neri is a leading company in urban decorating and public lightings. Among other functions, it renovates historical decorations in cast iron (gazebos, lamps, benches, fountains etc.). Over the years the company collected a significant number of works from the entire Italy and from the rest of Europe, which are now reunited in the Italian Museum of cast iron.
The museum divides between the ancient Church Santa Maria Delle Lacrime (de-consecrated) in Longiano’s city centre, the MIG – a wide industrial area which used to be a former painting plant belonging to Neri – on the Via Emilia, and an open-air section realised within the ‘800 Giardino Pubblico in partnership with Cesena City Council.

Fabbrica

Dove: Viale G. Carducci, 113 | Gambettola (Forlì/Cesena)

Fabbrica – Gambettola (Forlì/Cesena)

Fabbrica is an arena dedicated to art and culture, realized inside the former cement factory SICLI in Gambettola. It stands out thanks to the conservation of its plants and machinery, respecting the industrial history of the place. Years and years of projects and investments have made Fabbrica a complex structure where contemporary art and photography combine in a proper museum of industrial archaeology.