Manifattura Tabacchi, Former tobacco factory in Rovereto, Italy.
Manifattura Tabacchi is a large industrial complex from around 1854 with multiple buildings, warehouses, and a distinctive chimney in the Borgo Sacco district. Today it operates as Progetto Manifattura, a technology park hosting businesses and research organizations.
The factory was founded in 1854 under Austrian administration and grew into one of the region's largest employers. Production stopped in 2008, leading to the site's transformation into a sustainable technology center.
The women workers, known locally as zigherane, left their mark on the neighborhood through daily factory life and community presence. They were not just employees but residents who shaped the character of the district.
The site is now open to the public and features renewable energy sources and modern buildings designed for green technology work. Visitors can walk through the factory halls and see how the location has been adapted from industrial production to innovation.
The factory is often overlooked, yet it stands as one of the oldest industrial plants in northern Italy and still preserves the distinctive architecture of the factory era. Among its social innovations was one of the region's first workplace childcare facilities.
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