Overview

The original building, consisting of two separate workshops (the fudine de' Serini and de' Nani, named after the very last blacksmiths who worked there), is one of the oldest forges in Europe. Its late Gothic structure suggests that it dates back to the mid 14th-15th century. Afterwards, the structure was transformed several times to adapt it to the needs of traditional manufacturing - known as iron forging - which continued until a few decades ago with the manufacture of graters, ladles, fire shovels and picks. Besides the main rooms with the ovens, the hammers, the water-driven windmill (tina de l'ora), the grindstone and the anvils, there are also other smaller rooms where the shears and the stores for iron and fuel were located. The forge machinery was all powered by water wheels in the canal where water from the Lanico stream flowed.
In the Le Fudine Ethnographic Museum of Iron, there is a permanent exhibition entitled "Iron: a metal between heaven and earth", which aims to bring visitors closer to the work and symbolism associated with ironwork. The exhibition consists of panels with texts, photos, drawings and captions, explaining the elements of the forge and some objects found during the renovation and displayed in the Museum.

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