The Marble Quarries Apuan Alps Carrara Tuscany Italy

The tradition of marble quarrying in the spectacular setting of the apuan alps is very ancient probably started during the iron age by the ligurian people as witnessed by the necropolis of cafaggio in ameglia close to luna this site dates back to the 4th century bc and has white marble deposits and rudimentary cover cases composed of recycled materials.

The marble quarries apuan alps carrara tuscany italy.

The light colored stone gives the mountain range a look as though they are covered in snow year round. The apuan alps italian. The apuan alps also known as alpi apuane is a mountain range located in tuscany italy. Carrara s historic centre can be considered as a proper mountain town surrounded by hills at the foot of the apuan alps and by their marble quarries.

You can tour some of the marble mines above carrara in a self guided car tour but to get as high into the apuan alps as we did in the picture you ll need to take a jeep tour. Including among them marble fragments. Before going back to carrara do not forget to stop in colonnata the country of the lardo. In order to visit the apuan alps go from carrara exit towards campocecina from where you could have a large view of the below quarries and follow the phases of the transport of the marble to the plain.

In italy s most marble rich area known as the apuan alps the abundance is surreal. Carrara marble has been designated by the international union of geological sciences as a global heritage stone resource. The pristine stone has been extracted from area quarries since roman times when you hear or utter carrara marble and quarries are the immediate associations. Touring the marble mines in the apuan alps in northern tuscany is an incredible visual experience which is why the location was chosen for the chase scene in the james bond film quantum of solace.

From raw cut blocks waiting for export rows of flawless reproductions of michelangelo s david to the marble clad centre of carrara it is clear that. The marble quarries of carrara are situated in the valleys of torano miseglia bedisano and colonnata where both white and coloured marbles are found. The mountains are lined with the beautiful white carrara marble. The name derives from the apuani ligures tribe who lived here in ancient times.

It is named after the city of carrara in northern tuscany close to the apuan alps which is the world s most important centre for the extraction and processing of the renowned marble. Carrara has always been considered the city of marble and for good reason the identity of this centuries old city with strong ties to both the mountains and the nearby ligurian sea has always had marble at its heart. The apuan alps above carrara show evidence of at least 650 quarry sites with about half of them currently abandoned or worked out. The carrara quarries have produced more marble than any other place on earth.