Museo del Ferro e della Chiave

The Museum of Iron and the Key in Cibiana di Sotto traces the village's history from mining and ironworking to locksmithing. Housed in the former Mine Office, its exhibits connect the Carsiè and Ronzei mines with the key-making trade that became central to the community.

Why it matters

Cibiana's iron industry supplied metal for the Venetian Republic before local skills shifted from extraction to finished goods. By the late nineteenth century the village had dozens of key workshops. The museum preserves that industrial history in the building once used to administer the mines.

What to notice

The ground-floor displays focus on mining and ironworking, including an Errebi machine used to stamp keys from cold metal. Upstairs, iron objects and keys show the development of the craft, from keys forged as single pieces to later designs and unfinished examples. The building incorporates remains of a medieval chapel, including a stoup and small altar.

Context and history

Documented mining in Cibiana began around 1420 under Venetian investitures. Extraction at Carsiè and Ronzei had ended by 1770. In the nineteenth century the village's locksmithing trade expanded, reaching a height of about 51 workshops near the end of the century. After the First World War disrupted the industry, local artisans founded Errebi in 1949, continuing the village's association with key production. The museum itself was assembled with community and volunteer support.