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what is the

Museum of the "Bent Stone" in Levigliani
permanent exhibition of the apuan marble tradition
 

where is the bent stone
how is the bent stone

in search of the forgotten marble

 Much of the material culture of marble has been lost in 27 centuries of history, from the beginning in the VI Cent. until today. Therefore, several techniques and knowledge especially from the most ancient periods need to be reconstructed through mineral archaeology. The Museum, therefore, not only reclaims handiworks and collects them but it also functions as an applied research centre for this particular field.
 





 


 

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The Museum of the "Bent Stone" is also a fundamental element in the territorial system of sites and goods of archeo-mineral interest which comprises historical caves and mines and documentation centers.
In 2001 the Parco archeologico delle Apuane project (Archaeological Apuan Alps Park Project) had already recognized their importance as examples to better document the evolution in time of marble mining activity and production in the region.
The peculiar name of the Museum was taken from a work by Costantino Paolicchi in 1981 – I paesi della Pietra piegata (Villages of Bent Stone) – to represent his interest for that specific area of the Apuan Alps where for centuries men have known the secret of moulding and bending (“piegare”) at their will the noblest and purest “stone”: marble. 
The Museum, planned and built by Ente Parco Regionale delle Alpi Apuane, was opened to public on 31th may 2008.
It is situated in Levigliani di Stazzema (Lucca) in a late XVIII-century building of historic-environmental value which was completely restored and enlarged in 1910. The exhibition is distributed on all four floors.