Boston Granite Exchange’s Stories Behind the Stones takes you to a corner of Tuscany, Italy about 80 miles northwest of Florence, where you’ll find the town of Carrara. Nestled in the Italian (Apuan) Alps, the region is known for its marble quarries that have been producing coveted Carrara marble since the time of ancient Rome. It is believed that the Carrara quarries have produced more marble than any other place on earth.
Carrara marble is a very high quality marble that comes in a variety of beautiful white and blue-grey tones. It has been used for centuries in art and architecture, most notably, for Michaelangelo’s David and the Pantheon in Rome.
The beauty of Carrara marble is treasured, and it is exported for use around the world.
Our BGE team travels the world sourcing the most beautiful stones available. BGE’s Bill Thomas, General Manager, described his impressions on one trip to Tuscany to visit the Carrara quarries. As he neared Carrara, he was driving with the sea on his left and the mountains on his right and the tops of those mountains were, on a very hot Italian day, white as if with snow; but in reality, those mountaintops are white because they are made of Bianco Carrara marble.
The mountains were formed when, thousands of years ago, the sea receded and time and pressure turned limestone into marble. The mountains are, literally, made of marble. A stunningly beautiful sight, according to Bill.
You might not be heading to Tuscany this year, but if you’re looking to bring some beautiful Italian marble into your home for your kitchen counter top, vanity top, or fireplace surround, you should explore our fine selection of marble, including Carrara. In Europe it is common to see Carrara marble kitchen countertops. Europeans believe that marble should be used liberally and allowed to age naturally, developing its characteristic patina. After all, the beautiful look of marble that we love is a result of the character and beauty it gains as it ages.
In addition to marble, BGE has extensive lines of granite, quartzite, soapstone and The BGE Quartz Collection. We search the world over to bring the finest stones to our showrooms and eventually to your home.
Now that you know the story behind Carrara marble, we invite you to visit our showroom to see our Carrara marble selections in person, as well as the many other beautiful natural stones and quartz we have to offer.