Discovering Coreglia Antelminelli: A Journey Through History, Art, and Tradition

Hello dear friends,

I’ve been a bit absent these days because I’ve been sick, and for three days I had a high fever. But now I’ve recovered a little, even though I haven’t returned to work yet because I’m still feeling a bit weak. This morning, however, I managed to find a bit of strength to write the post that I was supposed to share several days ago, but due to the sore throat and fever, I had to postpone it.

Today, I would like to share with you some photos I took in Coreglia Antelminelli, a municipality located in the province of Lucca, still in Tuscany. It’s not a very big town; in fact, it has around 5,000 residents.

Let’s start with its history, dating back to the medieval era. In fact, this village developed around a castle, which no longer fully exists. But more importantly, the town became famous for its cultural and artisanal tradition, particularly related to the craftsmanship of ceramics and, more specifically, plaster.

As you can already see from the first photos I shared, it is located at about 600 meters above sea level, so we are in a hilly area, and from here, you can really enjoy a beautiful view. I started my walk by entering this village through its narrow streets.

I must say that this village, which has been among the most beautiful villages in Italy for several years now, features historic buildings that are also architecturally interesting. I was able to observe them during my walk, and just like in other villages I’ve shared with you, the houses here are always beautifully decorated by the residents who live there 365 days a year.

But in reality, the most important attraction to visit in this village is undoubtedly the Civic Museum of Plaster Figurines and Emigration, which can be visited for free. Luckily, I found it open.

I must say that this museum is truly unique because it houses many plaster figurines dating back to the 19th century, countless reproductions of historical figures, and copies of some sculptures that might be present in other museums. I also saw a nativity scene that was used in the 1800s. In the last part of the museum, there’s a section dedicated to the history of the emigration of plaster figurine makers, who were the artisans that created these plaster pieces. Many of them emigrated for work reasons, as this craft became highly important, especially in countries like France, Germany, Austria, and the United States. These artisans chose to leave their homeland in search of a better future work-wise.

When I left this interesting museum — and I must say, these local museums are always very interesting because they usually contain unique things that are hard to find elsewhere — I walked the last remaining streets I hadn’t yet explored. Along the way, I also saw the Church of San Martino, the village's main church, which dates back to the 1500s. That concluded my exploration of this magnificent village.

This place has been a wonderful discovery for me. I always love finding these small towns with their little local museums. I hope you can visit this place as well.

In fact, I encourage you to do so if you ever find yourself in Tuscany. I hope my photos were enjoyable! I wish you all a great day, and see you soon!