Museum of Typography
Città di Castello boasts a prestigious and age-old printing and publishing tradition, starting as early as sixteenth century. Today, the printing industry is one of the main businesses in the area, putting the name of Citta’ di Castello on the national map in the field. Within such context, the Grifani-Donati Museum of Printing is a true symbol of such tradition, allowing visitors to rediscover the old and valuable artisanal skills of the art of printing. Still today, the print shop houses the old press dating back to the nineteenth century, the tables for the manual compositions and some printing machines from various periods, still perfectly working. The Grifani-Donati print shop is housed in a medieval building in Corso Cavour, a few steps from Citta’ di Castello central square, opposite the City Hall.
The rooms occupied by the print shop overlook St. Paul’s Church, once a convent and a prison later on. Founded in 1799, it is one of the oldest and still active print shops in Italy.
Since the 1870’s, when the printing industry was first introduced in Citta’ di Castello, the Grifani Donati focused on a specialized market niche, counting among its customers public offices, the local clergy, aristocratic families, intellectuals and artists. Its current owners, Mr. Gianni Ottaviani and his wife Adriana, have continued a family tradition by adding to their traditional core business other activities such as hand engraving (etching, dry point, engraving, etc.) and lithography through the acquisition of machinery and presses, as well as bookbinding and restoration.
Visitors climbing the steep stairs leading to the print shop can experiment the thrill of a journey into the past, amongst old wooden drawers full of iron keys, old manifestoes and machines still perfectly working.
Guided tours which include demonstrations are available for individuals, groups and schools. Training and specialization courses can be organized as well.