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  • Former Bianchi Paper-mill, Bagni di Lucca.zoom in altra finestra
  • A putto working, decorative detail of the ex Bianchi Paper-mill, Bagni di Lucca.zoom in altra finestra

Ex Cartiera Bianchi [Former Bianchi Paper-mill]

Built in 1876 along the Lima stream and named Vittoria, it received honourable mention at the Milan Exposition of 1881 for the quality of its products. In 1913, producing 1000 kg of straw paper per day, the paper-mill was equipped with a steam turbine, so-called "continuous" machinery, and two "Dutch" machines. The straw was macerated in tanks with milk of lime; the pulp thereby obtained was milled in stone vats and then passed in the continuous machine.

The complex consists of three buildings of different dimensions, characterised by the typical arched openings necessary to ventilate the rooms where the sheets of paper were dried. The main building, which housed the machinery, still today has the tanks and four vats. For representational motives, the street facade presents decorations characterised by monochrome medallions with bas reliefs between the window arches.

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Texts by Graziano Magrini

English translation by Victor Beard

Last update 11/gen/2008