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Cartiera Latina on the Appia Antica: a thousand years of craftsmanship along Rome's sacred river
At the second mile of the Old Appian Way, crossed by the Almone River—one of Rome's sacred rivers, largely diverted underground since the 20th century—Cartiera Latina is one of the few historical industrial plants still surviving in the municipality of Rome. The factory closed in 1986, and since 1998 it has housed the headquarters of the Appia Antica Regional Park.
A thousand years in one place
The site's industrial history began in 1081: records show that a valca (fulling mill) already stood here for processing wool. In 1656, during Rome's plague, valca d'Acquataccio was used to disinfect mattress wool. It was later repurposed: in 1804 it ground valonia oak for tanning hides; in 1823 it processed myrtle for medicinal uses; and in 1875 it ground pigments for ceramics. In the early 1900s, it became an industrial paper mill, producing rag paper from linen and cotton. In 1931, it took its final name: Società Anonima Cartiera Latina.
What to see today
The complex is now a multifunctional space featuring two exhibition halls, a conference hall, and meeting rooms. It also houses the Fabrizio Giucca Library, the "Dì Natura" educational space for schools and the general public, and a green area housing the Hortus Urbis—an urban garden dedicated to the traditions of the Roman countryside.
