Mombaroccio is another repeat visit from our last trip. We of course parked outside of the city center, since we don't have a parking permit for the center. One cannot be in too much of a hurry when getting in or out of these historic areas; the narrow openings can definitely cause traffic jams. Even Mombaroccio's Porta Maggiore is narrow.
Once inside the village, most of the roads are still very narrow. A man passing by us offered to take our photo so you have a size reference for the width of the so-called road.
A public garden provides access to a look-out point on the city wall.
If we are ever in the area in the beginning of December, we will definitely have to visit their Christmas festival, Christmas in Mombaroccio. But it was too early for that. The village also has a history museum, but there was a sign stating it was closed that day. While Anne was despondently looking at the sign, a man in a historic costume came up and said that he could let us in for a short visit. He explained that the museum was closed because he was going to be working with a school group who was doing a film as a school project, but there was a bit of time before they arrived so he let us in. We don't think it has anything to do with the museum, but this cute fellow greeted us on the way in.
A little sign describing the museum said (in Italian):
The Museum of Rural Civilization was born in the 1980s thanks to the happy cultural intuition of the Pro-Loco Committee, the great work of some volunteers, the donation of unique tools from the community and the constant collection over the years by the Pro-Loco itself . The trust in granting the basements of the former Girolomini Convent to the Municipal Administration. Only thanks to these agreements, today we have such an interesting Museum that houses rare tools for work and life in our compatriots, which are our history.
Our mothers might recognize the reference to a Pro-Loco committee, since a book they both read (The Italian Villa) that was set in Italy includes activities of the village's Pro-Loco. As noted above, Mombaroccio's museum is in the basement and at the bottom of the stairs is a 'neviera', or a room where people put snow to preserve food. Yes, Italian has a word for it. They have a clay pot in the area to represent what one type of storage container that would have been used.
It must have been dark down there before the invention of electric lights, and even with the first fainter lights. This little display reminds us of that, with a variety of lanterns, mostly candle or oil operated.
In this kitchen scene, you can clearly see that the museum is in a basement. On the right is the fireplace with various cooking and warming tools. On the shelves on the wall beyond that are what look to be coffee grinders. Continuing to the right are sifters above a storage chest and then various types of wine bottles on a shelf below the window. By the sink is a cradle for the baby of the family.
These signs say 'Objects used for warming one's hands/feet/beds' and 'We kindly ask that you do not touch the exhibit objects.'
They had a lovely looking loom on display. In the background you can see related objects, such as a spinning wheel, cloth, and a carding station. (Carding is the process of cleaning fiber of debris in preparation for spinning.) Nearby was a sewing machine. The print above it is not famous enough to turn up on an internet search.
There were many other types of tools on display, including this large selection of wood hand planes.
In with some agricultural equipment such as plows was a scale to weigh silkworm thread. This surprised us, although it probably shouldn't have. Italy was the most important producer of silk during the Medieval age, and it was probably common in many villages for many years. The sign on the wall to the right of the scale is publicizing a market that was to be held at this former convent, 'a comfortable and suitable place in every respect.'
Other agricultural tools that they had were this interesting seed sowing machine, and this grain winnowing machine.
Both historically and today, bee keeping is important both for pollinating and collecting honey. Paul is taking a picture of a honey extractor, similar to the one we own.
This next picture is of an Oil Room. What makes the room unique is that the floor slopes down to the center of the room, where there is a small well to collect and recover spilled oil.
Of course wine making has always been important in Italy, and they had various items related to wine making. In this picture you can see the corking machines that are basically the same as the one we have at home (except ours is plastic & metal, not wood and metal).
One end of the basement has a large door to the exterior of the building. Through this door they could bring in the larger items, including carriages. Here is a picture of the very large door and two old buggies. Then is a photo of a large wheat threshing machine. After the wheat went through the thresher, the remaining grain would have been put through the winnowing machine shown above.
Another more ornate carriage had a sign that says 'example of an agricultural wagon used by settlers in the Marche countryside'. On the top of the shaft in front is a small model of one of these carriages showing how it would have been pulled by an ox. This particular type of carriage is called a 'Baroccio' in Italian. Although it is not known for certain, we read a theory that the name of this village, Mombaroccio, comes from these baroccio.
Off of the basement area are also, in addition to the neviera shown earlier, other 'grotte di tufo', or soft rock caves. These are the caves where people would have hidden back in Medieval times. They are definitely further underground than the basement. The stairs lead up to an emergency exit.
By this time the school group was ready and we had to leave. Before we left, the nice man who let us in had us put on some historic hats and took a picture of us in front of the baroccio.
We then went to the bar and had a cup of tea (Anne) and an espresso (Paul) before leaving Mombaroccio.
Updated July 2024