Amalfi sights - a visit to the paper museum

The beautifully winding Amalfi Coast is on the wish list of many sea travelers – and rightly so. The small town of Amalfi in particular is an irresistible attraction for sailors and cruise tourists. Somewhat hidden from the hustle and bustle of the tourist streets is an insider tip: the paper museum located in a former paper mill. Amalfi has a rich history of producing the best paper in the world. Even today, the Pope still holds sheets of paper from this place in his hands for documents.

It’s quiet down here. A few spiders quickly crawl into the cracks in the old walls as we enter. On this hot summer’s day, the coolness of the catacombs is a relief for us. All around us are old machines made of wood and heavy stone that made their last rounds several decades ago. For many years, paper production around Amalfi was a flourishing craft, characterized by prestige, wealth and incomparable skill. For a few moments, our visit to the “Museo della Carta” gives us a glimpse of this old paper-making era. You can almost hear the lazy hammering of the striking pins and the splashing of the mill wheels.

Entrance to the paper museum in Amalfi — *The paper museum is located in a medieval factory building. In addition to old machines and workpieces, 3250 volumes are stored in the library with unique knowledge about paper.*

Paper museum “Museo della Carta” – a piece of ancient cultural history

The catacombs in which we find ourselves are just a few hundred meters from the center of Amalfi. At the very end of the main street Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi, past shops and the last hotels, the inconspicuous building from the 13th century nestles against the rock on the left. Anyone with a penchant for cultural history in addition to the cathedral, the famous beaches and narrow alleyways should plan an extra hour for the museum. After all, paper production is a link to times long past as a powerful maritime republic. After all, Amalfi was the hub of Italy for over 200 years thanks to its close ties with Byzantium. These trade connections brought the craft of paper production to the coastal region at an early stage. In its heyday, over 60 paper mills were located in the government area. The precious commodity was distributed from there throughout Western Europe from the 12th century onwards.

Man at machine on historical photo in the paper mill — Old photographs in the museum show what work was like in the paper mills in the area. Thanks to its relations with Byzantium, Amalfi was an important hub for paper production early on. Not many regions had mastered the secret of producing paper of a similar quality.

Upcycling in the 12th century – from rags to luxury goods

During the guided tour through the stone walls, we are particularly amazed at the ingenuity of the old paper manufacturers. Instead of sourcing expensive cotton from faraway countries, the Amalfitans used old rags and scraps of clothing to make paper. A whole professional group formed in the area, collecting scraps of cotton, linen, hemp and jute from everywhere and selling them to the mills. As the old clothing did not contain any modern fibers such as nylon or polyester, the organic base was ideal for paper production.

Torn rags in a wicker basket — *Traditionally, paper was made from rags or rags.*
*These were shredded until they became the typical fiber pulp.*

Scraps of fabric in an old stone trough — *Scraps of fabric were collected from everywhere and shredded into pulp for the paper base.*

Many different shredding techniques were used to get to grips with the materials in the mills. The resulting pulp was perfect for the typical Amalfi paper. From a waste product to a luxury good for scholars, clerics and the rich – an extremely clever idea from a financial point of view. Paper from Amalfi was therefore much cheaper than papyrus and tanned animal skins.

It was not until around 1800 that paper producers switched to the even cheaper cellulose. Until then, paper production was indeed an example of upcycling par excellence.

Sheets of paper on an old wooden chair — *The finished product was the best handmade paper, which was appreciated by artists, nobles and clerics alike.*

Each sheet was strenuous manual work

During the tour of the museum, you get a very good impression of the many work steps that a single sheet of paper required. First of all, all buttons, nails and embroidery had to be removed by hand from the clothing remnants. The remaining fabrics had to be brightened again and again. To finally go through umpteen stages of processing.

Historical photo with man making paper in Amalfi — *Many steps were necessary to hold the finished paper in their hands.*

Old machine made of wooden hammers in stone walls — The old wooden hammers were operated manually to break up the rags further and further. A job that could take days.
The expensive paper was therefore only available to wealthy citizens.

In the cellar, you can still see the original wooden hammers that were used for crushing in the beginning. The other machines that have made processing easier over the centuries are also on display, true to the originals. The “Papierholländer” slowly starts to move as our guide opens the water lock. This invention must have been a boon for the papermakers. Sharp blades shredded the rags much faster and more cheaply.

Old catacombs with paper-making machines — *A look inside the old paper mill with the large mill wheel.*

A mill wheel with blades in the paper museum — *The “Papierholländer”, a machine with blades and an ingenious system, revolutionized paper production from 1800 onwards. The Paper Museum houses a version that would still work today.*

Paper making for visitors to join in

A nice highlight of the museum is the basin into which we are allowed to dip deep and can now scoop “our” paper out of the pulp. Theoretically, we could collect these sheets after a few weeks of drying. However, it is questionable whether it would actually be possible to write on our holey specimens. We have probably not lost any talented paper artists. We prefer to pick up professional copies at the exit of the store. These are made in the only remaining paper mill in town, the “Cartiera F. Amatruda”, just a few meters behind the museum.

Wooden frame on pool edge — Paper scooping requires a wooden frame and a sieve.
The two parts are connected so that the fibers can be scooped out of the water.

Man scooping paper out of a water basin — *You have to bend low over the edge to fill the sieve. Depending on your handling and skill, the finished sheet of paper will be thinner or thicker. Not so easy, as we found out for ourselves!*

Paper pulp on a wooden frame is held up to the camera — *The fibers that form the handmade paper get caught in the sieve.*

A museum employee presses the paper pulp onto a canvas — *The pulp is carefully transferred to a canvas or felt. Did it work?*

Cellulose pulp on an old canvas for paper production — *As you can see from our example, we still need to practise to produce the best paper.*

Wood press for paper production — *We are allowed to hang the sheets of paper we have just made over an old wooden press to dry.*

Paper pulp on canvases to dry on clotheslines — The canvases with the handmade paper were hung up piece by piece. As soon as they are dry, they can be removed and finished. Unfortunately, we can’t wait that long during our visit – perhaps a later visitor will be delighted with the finished pieces?

Many sheets of paper in one press — This old “couching press” shows countless sheets of old paper that were produced in the paper mills around Amalfi. The press was used to press the sheets of paper on the felt pieces until all the moisture had escaped.

The paper of the popes

Paper production in Amalfi was an absolute success in its heyday. Thanks to the watermarks, there is evidence that the oldest documents on Amalfi paper were created around the early 12th century. Only nobles, rich merchants and clergymen from the Vatican could afford the high-quality material. This quality ensured the survival of the paper mills even after the political downfall of the Maritime Republic. It was only with industrial production that the importance for the wholesale trade continued to decline.

Watermark on paper against the light — *You can clearly see the watermark in this sheet of Amalfi paper*

Sheets of paper with letterpress fonts — *Amalfi paper is still highly valued for artistic and official purposes. Examples of its use can be admired in the museum.*

A very few paper mills have been able to preserve their craft. Customers still treat themselves to the typical paper for special occasions and documents. Even though modern production methods are now used, its properties are still highly valued. Artists use it for drawings, bridal couples for special wedding invitations. And the Vatican State still uses the paper of the popes for its correspondence. A small notebook goes into our bag as a souvenir – who knows what important travel notes we will leave on it.

Display in museum store in Amalfi — *If you would like to take home some souvenirs from the history of paper, you can do so at your leisure in the museum store.*

Petals in handmade paper — In recent years, the only remaining paper mill in Amalfi has made a name for itself with unusual papers, such as this one with real wildflowers. The products are in demand for wedding invitations and official Vatican correspondence.

Decorated leather books in the sun — *The incredibly elaborately decorated notebooks with handmade paper from the region would make perfect travel diaries. One of them has also found its way into our luggage.*

Leather books and inkwells on a wooden shelf — *Everywhere in the museum store you can feel the past times of the art of paper and writing that was so alive on the Amalfi Coast.*

Valley of the Mills – Valle dei Mullini

If you have time, you can follow the road further uphill after the visit. The cliffs rise up steeply and narrow the road more and more. Now the industrial area of ancient Amalfi begins, so to speak. The Canneto river, which meanders between the cliffs, was home to numerous family-run paper mills. The river was the lifeline for the paper millers, as the purity of the water was crucial for the high quality of the finished product.

A stream flows through a hole in the wall — *The stream that flows from the valley towards the sea was the lifeline of the paper mills.*

Old stone catacombs — *The river was not always a blessing. There were repeated floods, a record is shown by the water mark in the photo. The entire factory was almost 2 meters under water at the time.*

Nowadays, the Valley of the Mills is a wonderful place to hike and relax. Every now and then you can still see the abandoned ruins of the old mills, which lend the place a mystical air. The water ripples gently, the trees provide shade and the paths are well marked. Unfortunately, we don’t have much time to explore the valley as we have to return to our boat. An extended exploration is definitely on our wish list for the next trip to the Amalfi Coast.

Old ruins of a mill in a green gorge — *The old ruins of the abandoned paper mills in the “Valley of the Mills” near Amalfi appear mystical.*

Wooden bridge over a stream in the valley of the mills, Amalfi — *You can explore the beautiful area of the valley on foot.*
*This program item is on our wish list for the next visit.*

Arrival from the port

Large ships dock in Naples and offer mini-bus tours to Amalfi. Smaller ships and sailing boats can dock directly in the harbor or drop anchor. The area around the harbor and the beach is also a bus parking area and starting point for sightseeing in Amalfi and the route to the museum. The Paper Museum is well signposted and can be reached on foot within 15 minutes from the cathedral square. Admission costs a few euros and a guided tour is compulsory. Tours are available in various languages, including German.

Photo sources: Cover picture @Museo della Carta | Featured image 1 lindasky76/ Shutterstock.com | Featured images 4 + 7 + 8 + 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 19 +23 @Museo della Carta | Featured image 26 Kalina Georgieva/ Shutterstock.com | Featured image 27 auralaura/ Shutterstock.com