1976—2026
Half a century of fire, hammer and anvil.
The Wrought-Iron Art Biennial of Stia is the world’s longest-running and most traditional exhibition of artistic wrought iron, active without interruption since its founding in 1976. From a local craft trade fair to a world capital of forging: this is the story of fifty years of passion forged in metal.
The Ironbeater
manifesto
The Biennial’s symbol was born from the hand of Maestro Pietro Annigoni, who in 1973 gave Stia “The Blacksmith of Stia”. The Ironbeater manifesto — the man hammering on the anvil — would make the exhibition known around the world.
The image was carried to every continent by Alitalia aircraft: a Tuscan citizen returning from a business trip told of his amazement at finding the poster displayed at Taipei airport.
The first
edition
It all began with the 1st National Wrought-Iron Trade Fair, under the patronage of the Municipality of Stia and the Cassa Rurale ed Artigiana. A commercial showcase for iron craftsmen, created to promote the ancient art of forging — a centuries-old tradition distinctive of the Casentino area.
Since that first September, the event has never stopped: it has grown and evolved decade after decade, becoming the appointment the forging world knows today.
The streets
become a forge
Every two years, for four days, the small town nestled in the Casentino valley turns into an open-air workshop. The main streets and squares — the Lanificio, Piazza Mazzini, Piazza Tanucci — become lively forges where the masters work iron with fire, hammer and anvil, before the eyes of visitors.
A global
stage
Today the Biennial draws a huge international audience: in recent editions over 300 blacksmiths from more than 30 nations across five continents took part — from Japan to the United States, from Finland to Sicily. A global artistic dialogue that has made Stia a world reference point for artistic craftsmanship.
Year of foundation
Blacksmiths from 30+ nations
Visitors in its history
Continents represented