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Ice trail - Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese

The history of natural ice production

Pistoia

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The Ice trail tells the history of natural ice production, which developed in the Montagna Pistoiese region between the end of the eighteenth century and the early 1900s.

The Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese is a series of six routes in the open air, museums, teaching hubs and historical artefacts whose purpose is to introduce us to the Montagna Pistoiese area through signs which the relationship between humans and the environment has left over centuries of history.

The ice route covers the history of natural ice production, which developed in the Montagna Pistoiese region between the end of the eighteenth century and the early 1900s, its main axis is located in the Valle del Reno.

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Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese

Stages Itinerary

Madonnina icehouse

Pistoia

stage 1

Madonnina icehouse

The Madonnina icehouse keeps the memories of the hard life and stories of the ghiacciaioli – ice harvesting laborers - as the natural production of ice was one of the main activities in the Montagna Pistoiese until the early part of last century. The icehouse is reached by walking a nice path that winds its way along the river Reno. It is a distinctive truncated cone-shaped building with a thatched roof and is the only complex of its kind remaining of the about seventy that were built in this “Ice Valley”. (Via Modenese SR 66 – Loc. Le Piastre, Pistoia).

Ice teaching hub

Pistoia

stage 2

Ice teaching hub

It includes photographic and audio-visual documentation about this proto-industrial activity. It also features original tools and two architectural models: one of them reproduces the Madonnina section and the other one of the first artificial ice factory. (Via della Noce – Pracchia, Pistoia)

Icehouse pathway

Pistoia

stage 3

Icehouse pathway

The trail winds for about 9 km, connecting Le Piastre to Pontepetri. Accompanied by bilingual signs, the itinerary allows you to discover some important evidence of the production of ice.