Museum of Ancient Crafts in Carlentini

Il Museum of Ancient Crafts in Carlentini includes various aspects to be discovered. It is a ethnographic museum pole which starts from far away, with different points of interest. Here's what to know about the history, architecture and activities to do near such a fascinating place.

Brief history of the Ancient Crafts Museum

The Ancient Crafts Museum in Carlentini was officially born on October 5, 1980, thanks to the passion of the Cav. Alfio Caltabiano. Over the years, the project has experienced substantial growth due to its ability to best preserve new and classic work. Not surprisingly, the ethnographic museum is located in a structure dating back to the XNUMXth century, containing the reconstruction of 25 shops and to the original period tools. Each accessory is dated between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, giving life to a collection which best describes the peasant life until the nineteenth century.

The goal of the Ancient Crafts Museum is to hand down to future generations handcrafted and manual works that are on the verge of disappearing. The testimony of peasant life is essential, since it constitutes a piece of history that cannot be thrown into oblivion. This is also demonstrated by the choice to reproduce some rooms taken from the Medieval Castle. Amateur scholars have acted with the aim of discovering the functioning of certain tools, avoiding letting them deteriorate.

In practice, the museum is a real fulcrum of the history of Carlentini and of a good part of Sicily, with around 3000 objects of a rural nature contained within. The structure thus wanted to recreate the shops of the early twentieth century, with related signs. Each visitor immerses himself in an authentic journey through time, discovering a life not too far from the present day.

Architecture and main works of art of the museum

The Ancient Crafts Museum in Carlentini offers several points to discover. For example, in the center of the room appears a cistern that once served as a collection of rainwater, today covered by a glass plate. Going up to the second floor, here is the best of the production of the craftsmen of the past, with tools handled by weavers, wheelwrights, tailors and so on. Each shop tells a timeless story.

The laboratories were built in a skilful and meticulous way, fully respecting the reality of the near past. The in-house collection features original items from past eras, without any copies or reproductions. In many cases, the accessories are donated by local people, who attribute them so that they are not forgotten.

Things to do in Carlentini and surroundings

Anyone who wants to get to know the Museum of Ancient Crafts in Carlentini can take part in WORKSHOPS e didactic lessons, in order to learn ancient crafts and experience the thrill of manual workshop work. At the same time, the town of Carlentini offers exciting panoramas, given its proximity to the Lake Lentini, to the Plain of Catania and to Monte Pancali. L'Carlentini's blood orange from Sicily it must absolutely be tasted at the competent venues.

There is no shortage of relevant religious places, such as the Rupestrian Church of the Crucifix, Archpriesthood Parish of the Immaculate Conception , Church of San Sebastiano. Just move a few kilometers to discover other cities such as Lentini, Francofonte and Augusta, without obviously forgetting Catania.

How to get to Carlentini

To reach the Museum of Ancient Crafts in Carlentini, simply walk, by car, the Catania-Siracusa highway and exit at Lentini-Carlentini, just 7 kilometers from the centre. The exits of the A18 at Sortino and Melilli, located about 15 kilometers away, are also good. By train you have to reach the stations of Catania Centrale and Catania Europa, and then travel the last 25 kilometers by shuttles and buses.