Grandfather Amedeo's Museum

Amedeo Giannini was born in Porcari in 1933. At the age of six, he moved to Massarosa, where he still lives today. From childhood, he helped his family (sharecroppers) with various farm chores, but his natural inclination toward commercial activities led him to work. In 1948, he went to work as a sorghum husk binder in a factory in Viareggio, where he remained until 1953. He then embarked on a street vending business, which he was forced to abandon for military service. After three years in Sardinia as a clothing salesman, he returned to Massarosa and began working as a salesman, a career that would lead him to retirement.

After retirement, he devoted his time to the Agritourism and Educational Farm

"Il Giardino di Manipura," founded by his daughter Elena and granddaughter Eleonora in 2012. Here, together with his family, he teaches children the secrets of agriculture and old, now obsolete, games. He is also a member of the Lucca Historical Institute, Guglielmo Lera Section of Massarosa.

Inside the Amedeo Museum,
our farm's great-grandfather

You can find

Agricultural traditions

The agricultural life of the past, when every seed had profound value and every harvest told a story of toil, passion, and connection to the land, comes to life through Amedeo's stories.

Ancient traditions that have allowed generations to survive and thrive. Work in the fields followed the rhythms of the seasons, and crops such as wheat, rice, peanuts, and many others were essential to daily sustenance. Each followed a unique cycle, reflecting the characteristics of the land and the ingenuity of the farmers, who, through techniques passed down from father to son, managed to best exploit the land to obtain the fruits necessary for life.

Thanks to Amedeo, the historical memory of our farm, we rediscover the agricultural traditions with which the land was worked with respect and that today, those same lands are cared for and cultivated with love and passion by us at Oligea - Manipura.

Life stories

Amedeo shares his life story, a tale rooted in years of intense experiences. An ordinary man, yet with a richness of experience few can match. He spent many of his younger years immersed in the heart of the marshland, in direct contact with nature and its resources. That deep connection to the land and the territory left a lasting impression on him, fueling a passion for local history and traditions. This intimate connection with his homeland today drives him to share the beauty, resources, and riches our region has to offer.

Amedeo introduces us to the firsthand accounts of those who have lived, worked, and loved this land, passing on a legacy of experiences not found in books, but only in the stories of those who have experienced it firsthand. His words are a bridge between the past and the present, an invitation to rediscover the value of a territory.

Professions of the past

The crafts of the past represent a world of tradition, art, and passion, in which every activity was tied to nature and people's daily lives. Amedeo allows us to rediscover these crafts, now almost forgotten.

The making of brooms or pomegranate trees, the cultivation of sorghum, or the production of silkworms were an integral part of life in the past. Crafted by expert hands, they gave life and shape to objects used in everyday life, contributing to a heritage we can rediscover and appreciate today.

A journey into the past that helps us understand the ingenuity and strength of those who lived in symbiosis with nature and teaches us to value hard work and respect for our surroundings.

Inside the Manipura Garden

Stories of life, ancient agricultural traditions, and curiosities from Massarosa
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