In Castelfiorentino, you will find (correct as of 2023) a large abandoned set of industrial buildings. It was the old Montecatini factory, where several semi-finished products were produced for the chemical industries of the country.

The area where the former Montecatini stands housed a Puccioni chemical fertilizer factory at the beginning of the 20th century.Since 1942 the complex assumed a different name and only later became Montecatini Edison thanks to a construction project of which still remain several buildings.The inauguration of the new plant took place in 1950. In 1972 the area was purchased by the Concessiona Scotti and in 1982 it was definitively acquired by the Municipality of Castelfiorentino.

Founded in the early twentieth century as a fertilizer industry, in the '50s Montecatini-Edison restructured the area and gave way to the production of chemical substances for processing, which however broke down during the' 60s.Since then the land passed to Fiat Scotti, which used part of the buildings for its own dealership, and in 1982 the City, thanks to a state contribution, bought at a favorable price the area with the intention to redevelop it. Meanwhile, only a small part, destined in the eighties to the post office, and the current municipal police headquarters were exploited.

View across the site from one of the higher buildings.

Inside the main long building with curved roof.  Walkway above that goes into a brick wall.

The building was obviously used for storing paraphernalia from a carnival in town. The Carnival was held in February, and promises "which will see masks and allegorical floats parade from Piazza Kennedy to Piazza Gramsci, in an atmosphere of playful celebration amidst confetti and streamers." The theme for the 2020 Carnival was Harry Potter!

Some previous years carnival decorations were dumped here.

The building was just gorgeous, like something out of a Stanley Kubrick movie. 

Other buildings were doing quite so well, some of the infrastructure during the chemical processes here.

To get to the top of the arched building required going up these steep stairs with a ramp next to them. 

Some homeless people or migrants had made themselves at home. 

Slowly rusting fuse board.

Power supply cabinets. 'Group' and Impasto (which means Dough) and 'Super.'

Looking across to the other buildings, one with an odd high rise platform, something you might expect at a high security prison or something.

The walkway in the fabulous arched building.

Inside the building with the lookout tower attached from above but one pic. 

Passing through the door in the centre of the above pic. All the floors appear to have disappeared. 

Walking somewhat precariously along a beam higher up from the above pic. I really liked those trainers, not sure why I was exploring an old chemical factory in them!

Going up higher in the same building as above, lots of round and rectangle cut outs for storage plant since removed. 

Looking at the lookout platform and the gorgeous Tuscan scenery.

With little else to see, I scurried back out and went to the pharmacy to get medicine for my son. The actual reason I'd come into town!