Museums - Impruneta

The Agresti furnace - 1

Amongst the ancient terracotta furnaces of Impruneta, one is a example of the tradictional techniques. This is the Agresti Furnace, a development at the foot of the town centre, which has been purchased by the City Council with the aim of turning it into an Information centre on Impruneta terracotta.
The furnace is important not only for its historical value as a building complex, but also as a shrine for the tools, casts and models used up to a few decades ago, when it was still active.

The Agresti were one of the oldest families of furnace workers in Impruneta, having been involved in this activity well before the construction of the furnace in Via delle Fornaci.

This complex dates back to the early 18th century, when the Agresti relocated here following the exhaustion of their previous quarry in Via della Croce. It is a brick and stone building, with a loggia on the facade, situated on the side of the hill providing the clay for the furnace. The furnace layout is the result of several successive extensions, mainly galleries for drying and storage purposes.

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