From the weaving of silk threads comes this place that is a little bit museum, a little bit workshop.
Fal’Fil is its name, which winks at the local tradition: in the Bergamo dialect, this expression means “to make a thread”. How silk thread is made can be learned among the stone fireplaces and Art Nouveau decorations of Palazzo Re in Ranzanico, in a journey through history and craftsmanship that starts with silkworm breeding and ends with these splendid and precious fabrics.
In the rooms on the ground and first floors of this neoclassical country residence, visitors can discover how silk was born, following all the steps of its production through a step-by-step itinerary using original 18th-century machinery.
A collection of period photographs reveals the context in which this high handicraft activity took place, while an exhibition area shows the public the results of the processing: precious yarns and fabrics from Val Cavallina were traded in Italy and abroad.
Part of the heritage of the Fal’Fil museum is also a collection of silkworms from all corners of the world: a curiosity recovered before it was lost forever following the closure of a company in Val Cavallina.
In the rooms of Palazzo Re, through the history of silk, one can also retrace the handicraft and industrial history of the valley itself, its people, and its environment, which had among its protagonists the mulberry tree, a tree whose cultivation was fundamental for the start-up of the entire industry. Silkworms are very fond of the leaves of this plant, which constitute their principal nourishment.
DETAILS OF INTEREST:
– 19th century palace;
– Frescoed interior rooms;
– Permanent exhibition of relics and period clothing of the local population on the top floor, the Once Upon a Time Collection.
VISIT INFORMATION:
– Route only by appointment with a guide for a visit inside the palace and according to the calendar of scheduled openings promoted by the Association and the Municipality;
– Free access during exhibitions and events organised by the Association, which has its headquarters there;
– Visit duration: approximately 50′;
– Parking: YES, in the vicinity of Piazza Caduti.
Promotion and enhancement by the Arte in Valle Association.
