In the Roman imperial period, white and coloured marbles, coming from quarries located in all the known world at that time, started to be greatly used and appreciated. Those colourful marbles were used to decorate big public buildings, palaces, sumptuous imperial villas, and city and countryside houses of important senatorial families and of wealthy Roman freedmen.

The passion for white and coloured marble used as a decoration for houses, villas, and temples did not start in ancient Rome, but it’s in that period that marble reached the height of its glory. As a matter of fact in ancient times, marble was considered a luxury material to be used almost only for big public buildings, palaces, sumptuous imperial villas, and for city and countryside houses of important senatorial families and wealthy Roman freedmen.

The Università dei Marmorari provides basic courses on the main aspects concerning marble working. These courses are directed to stone-working loving individuals and explain the main techniques.

Master’s training courses for the improvement of the most advanced techniques are offered to those who already work ancient stones. Courses are held by the professionals and master carftsmen of our association.

The Università dei Marmorari has among its members some of the most important representatives of the artisan traditions in the art of working marble and ancient stones. Stonecutters, architects, and sculptors joined the Università, like many other artists in the past, in order to hand down the secrets of an ancient knowledge.