Valle dei Mulini is a gorge that runs from the urban centre of Amalfi up the course of the Canneto torrent. The place owes its fame to the many foreign artists and writers who, during the 19th century, extolled the natural beauty of a landscape enriched by extensive lemon gardens, and made even more interesting by old paper mills and iron factories.
The arrival of paper mills in the Valle dei Mulini began between the 12th and 13th century, during which the people from Amalfi learned the papermaking processes from the Arab world. At the end of the 18th century, as many as 16 mills were active in the Valle dei Mulini, and others were operating along the waterways of Minori and Maiori. During the last century, these paper mills were forced to close, one by one, due to considerable transport difficulties and the impossibility of significantly increasing their production.
