The Public Washhouses of Rio nell’Elba

The public washhouse of Rio nell’Elba is housed inside a building with a trussed ceiling and large windows, close to the Fonte dei Canali, which supplies it with water.

Over time, it has undergone various transformations. It was originally located inside the building that now houses the water pumping station. In 1873, following a considerable increase in the population, the Municipality had it enlarged.

The construction of the new washhouse, prompted by the need to improve and optimise the distribution of drinking water, was completed in 1911. To prevent contamination of the spring, the new washhouse was equipped with eighteen self-draining basins instead of a single large basin. The work carried out on the public washhouse was intended to protect public hygiene, as regulated by the 1917 “Regulations for the hygiene of the soil and residential areas”, which provided guidelines for safeguarding water purity and governed the use of the washhouse.

The washhouse retained its separate basins until the 1960s, when they were replaced by just two large basins: a higher one for rinsing and another for washing. Once the emergencies and hygiene concerns of the past had disappeared, it began to be used only very rarely.

The public washhouse was a place where women could socialise, as they often gathered there to do their laundry. In the past, miners returning from work also stopped here to wash before going home.

The public washhouse, now commonly known as the “Lavatoi”, has been recently restored and is currently not only open to visitors free of charge, but is also used as a venue for exhibitions, events and ceremonies.