The Piombino Castle and Medieval Ceramics Museum it was inaugurated July 13, 2013.
Already in 2001 the Castle Museum was inaugurated following a challenging restoration project which had made legible the stratifications that had accumulated over the long life of the monument. Born in 13th century as one of the city gates, later transformed into a fortress by the Pisans and residence of the Appiani family in the 15th century, it became the heart of the fortress wanted by Cosimo I de' Medici in the mid-16th century. From 1800 until its abandonment in 1960, it had been transformed into prison. In particular, this last destination had distorted the original divisions of the spaces, dividing the vast rooms of the castle into many small cells.
The archaeological excavations carried out between the 1999 and 2000 on the ground floor they had allowed these stories to be told but had not returned any particularly significant finds.
In the 2003 the recovery intervention of approximately 800 vases on the roof of the church of Sant'Antimo sopra i Canali, near the small port, allowed for the design of a new exhibition that would do justice to the real “treasure” brought to light on the roof of the church.
The scientific direction of the new project, curated by Prof. Giovanna Bianchi of theUniversity of Siena, in collaboration with the designers Giuseppe Bartolini and Simonetta Fiamminghi, has therefore transformed the castle from a museum of itself to a museum of a completely new concept which tells the story of Middle Ages of PiombinoFurthermore, thanks to the discovery of the ceramics, one of the most important finds at a national level, it was also possible to tell the story of ceramics in the Middle Ages.
The recent restoration of the Source of the Canals, one of the many important monuments of medieval Piombino, led to the replacement of the original marble heads that adorned the Fountain, attributed to Nicholas Pisano, with reproductions. The heads have been inserted into the new exhibition itinerary.
What was Coopera's role?
Having personally led the archaeological excavation campaigns carried out over the years in Piombino has allowed Coopera members to tell the story of these places accurately and precisely.
The task entrusted by the Val di Cornia Parks Company, the body that manages the network of Parks and Museums in the area, has planned research activities aimed at drafting texts for the panels and for the numerous multimedia stations which are located within the exhibition itinerary.
Topics range from the history of the promontory, to the architectural history of the castle and the church of Sant'Antimo sopra i canali, to the history of ceramics in the Middle Ages, including the history of production, trade, and food.
The restoration of some of the exhibits and the preparation of ministerial records relating to the pieces on display, as well as assistance with the assembly and display of the exhibits themselves.
Read also the article on our blog.
