In Rossano Calabro, the largest Liquorice Museum in the world

Did you know that the largest Liquorice Museum in the world is in Italy? Among the countless museums in Italy, celebrated on International Museum Day, we chose to dedicate space to the most unusual and original ones. A journey through the history of a museum as UNusual as it is tasty, especially for liquorice lovers. Ready? Let’s begin!

The origins of the Liquorice Museum

We are in Rossano, in Calabria, when in 2001 the Amarelli family strongly wished to establish the Liquorice Museum, dedicated to Giorgio Amarelli. The founder of a noble family, in 1731 he founded the historic Liquorice Factory. The museum is housed in a 15th-century building and presents the history of liquorice from its origins to the present day, documenting with archival materials a family story of tradition and innovation.

A story within the story, a saga of the Amarelli family to be touched, read, listened to, and experienced in this extraordinary Museum. Engravings, documents, books, vintage photos, but also farm tools, everyday objects, and splendid antique garments bear witness to the life of a family that knew how to enhance the underground branches of liquorice plants that grow wild on the Ionian coast to create a leading company in the sector.

Tour of the Liquorice Museum

The Museum offers an itinerary that, starting from the origins of the company, arrives at the history of liquorice. The central hall, in fact, is dedicated to the Concio, an ancient machine used to extract the juice of liquorice from the bundles of root. Around it are the old cookers where the black liquorice paste was thickened and the bronze dies that gave it shape and thickness. The tour continues in the second hall where, guided by the fascinating light of Edison lamps, the history of electrical energy and the revolutionary transformation that followed is revealed, with the refinement of processes, specialization, and the opening of new commercial horizons.

A place of honor is dedicated to the ancient 1907 boiler, a jewel of industrial archaeology that recalls and enriches the history of steam through the boilers of the various conci of the nineteenth century in Calabria. The smokestack, with the initials of Baron Nicola Amarelli and cleverly illuminated, towers imposingly from the roof of the concio and forms the backdrop to the panoramic terrace from which you can admire the “Open Air Museum” with a truly unique display of vintage industrial pieces.

Alessandro Amarelli Auditorium: a forge of cultural events

From the terrace it is possible to access the “Alessandro Amarelli” Auditorium, a large space with over 100 seats and always an integral part of the late eighteenth-century complex: today it is a welcoming environment, the beating heart of the cultural life and events of the Liquorice Museum. The route ends in the Liquorice Shop and in the Museum Café where you can taste this excellent product: from the raw wooden stick to pure liquorice or with mint and anise, from gummies with orange, lemon, and violet, to delicately colored sugared almonds, our liquorice takes on different forms and flavors.

Health benefits of liquorice

Among the main benefits for the body, moderate use of pure liquorice or its root is common if you suffer from low blood pressure. In addition, it has well-known beneficial properties in cases of poor digestion, gastro-esophageal reflux, and stomach pain. Already among the ancient Egyptians, a liqueur extracted from liquorice was made, a delicacy intended for the exclusive consumption of the pharaohs.

One of the most widely used herbal remedies in traditional Chinese medicine, it also seems to help alleviate the annoying symptoms of menopause and reduce disorders associated with certain respiratory diseases. As an antioxidant, it combats skin aging, acne, and eczema. A true natural cure-all which, however, like everything, is best not to overuse to avoid possible side effects.

Useful information and visiting hours

The museum can be visited every day at the following times, valid until June 30: from 9:30 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 17:00.

Starting from September 15, the scheduled times are: 10:00; 11:00 and 12:00 and, in the afternoon slot, 17:00; 18:00 and 19:00.

Visits are always guided and, in addition to Italian, are conducted in the most widely spoken languages such as French, English, and German. On request they are also carried out in Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese. For further information, consult the official website of the Amarelli Liquorice Museum.