Carrara is a city that has been famous since ancient times for its marble quarries. It was used by Michelangelo and other great sculptors and architects of different eras.
The local marble was already known to the Etruscans, but the Romans started the first regular quarries. When traveling around Carrara, you can visit Roman quarries with a small museum presenting the techniques of stone mining at the time.
The Renaissance brought great fame to the Carrara Marbles. The local stone was used by, among others Michelangelo, Filippo Brunelleschi and Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini. They were sent to the courts of the most important representatives of politics, but also to churches all over Europe. The history of the local marble can be traced at the Municipal Marble Museum in Carrara.
The town has a small, historic center with a cathedral covered with marble slabs from nearby quarries. There are Renaissance townhouses and city palaces around Alberica Square, and the Malaspina Castle is also a great attraction.
The mountainous surroundings of Carrara are very picturesque. You can reach several quarries open to visitors, as well as stop at viewpoints. Shops with local handicrafts located by the roads are an additional attraction.
