The tanneries of Ávila are seeing the light after seven hundred years. In the Spanish city, capital of the homonymous province a hundred kilometers west of Madrid, an open-air museum was opened in recent days, created thanks to the recovery work of the ancient district of San Segundo, the area dedicated to processing of leather founded by the Jewish community. The small district developed between the 14th and 17th centuries along the banks of the Adaja River, processing raw hides from local farms for the creation of various objects and clothing. The recovery project started in 2016 after the discovery in 2001 and gave back the old splendour to the floors of the rooms where the activity took place, and to the tanks where the hides were immersed to be tanned. A large area, rich in history, transformed into a museum when the local administration succeeded in obtaining the support of the Ministry of Culture and of the motorway management company Abertis to tackle jobs, for a total cost of around 635,000 euros. The visit to the tanneries, available from July at a cost of 1 euro, will be included among the tourist offers of the city, alongside with the ancient walls.
Pictures from tribunaavila.com
