The valley of the paper mills in Italy

The oldest surviving document is dated 17 October 1381 and even then water power was used to produce paper from rags in paper mills.

After the invention of book printing, the demand for paper also increased. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the valley of the paper mills supplied Italian towns with paper. Later, production was modernised and factories were built, the ruins of which can still be seen today.

In the 1950s, however, things went downhill due to the unfavourable traffic situation, changes in production methods and a lack of space for plant expansions. And so the last paper mill closed in 1962.

The former largest paper mill in the valley is now home to a cultural centre with a paper museum.