The town of Stia (Arezzo) has been hosting the European Biennial of Blacksmith Art since 1976, and since 1989 it has become a true wrought iron forging championship. The association, made up only of volunteers, provides forges, anvils, iron and coal for blacksmiths from all over the world, who meet in Stia to challenge each other in interpreting the theme chosen for the edition. The centre of the town then becomes a real open-air forge, with stages to better observe the work of the almost 200 blacksmiths participating from the right distance, and thus be able to withstand the intense heat necessary for the work. The works must be completed in three hours and absolutely as unique pieces, i.e. without welding. In forty years of activity a considerable amount of works has been accumulated, some of them really relevant from an artistic point of view: for this reason one of the floors of the former wool factory of the city is being restored to make it a permanent museum, with the collection of works created and donated by the participating blacksmiths after the challenge. While waiting for the inauguration of the museum, scheduled in time for the Biennale 2017, it is possible to admire the works chosen for the future museum in the warehouse where they are temporarily stored.
