Abandoned Distillery Eridania, Italy

Viktoriia Makeenko
The abandoned factory of Eridania
The abandoned factory of Eridania

The abandoned factory of Eridania is located in the city of Ferrara in Italy. This place was once famous for producing the best Italian alcohol.

One of the tallest buildings in this factory is the Oculus Tower. It has a large, round construction, and you can climb it using a set of stairs. From the inside, there are many great opportunities to see out across the plant through large windows.

In the past, this site had been a busy industrial distillery that produced ethanol based products for several different companies and industries, many of which were located close by.

The history of the place began in 1935 when Distillerie Italiane received permission from the national government to set up a chemical plant near its distillery in Pontelagoskuro, a suburb of Ferrara on the banks of the River Po.

By 1936, a special industrial zone had been created in the west of Ferrara. Equipped with roads, railways, canals, and shipyards, the area was soon occupied by new industries, mainly chemical and agrochemical. In 1940, construction began on a distillery called Distillerie Italiane.

In 1944, aerial bombardment partially destroyed the project, but it was eventually built. By 1953, the plant produced more than 30 percent of the total alcoholic produce of Italy, using ethanol fermentation to synthesize alcohol from sugar beet.

In addition to ethanol, the plant was able to produce dry ice, yeast, glycerin, and reclaimed sugar through the molasses desugarization process.

In 1967, the sugar company Eridani acquired Distillerie Italiane. Fully dependent on the national (and local) sugar industry, the distillery went on to experience a significant recession from the early 2000s onwards.

For several years, the plant passed from hand to hand until it eventually closed in 2005. This was due to a final financial blow in the form of an EU directive that established strict production quotas for Italian refineries.

After the directive was issued, Eridania began to suffer losses which ultimately led to the distillery’s closure. Since then, the site has been abandoned. A big  thank you to www.preciousdecay.com

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com
Author: Preciousdecay Photography | www.preciousdecay.com

 

Tower Exterior. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage
Tower Exterior. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage

 

Distillery view. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage
Distillery view. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage

 

Corridor. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage
Corridor. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage

 

Chemistry Lab. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage
Chemistry Lab. Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage

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Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage
Author: Matt Emmett | Forgotten Heritage | www.instagram.com/forgottenheritage