Marble represents one of the most fundamentally aesthetically pleasing building materials that there is. It has graced some of the most beautiful buildings from antiquity. The Pantheon, Elgin marbles and statues such as Micheangelo’s David, of which he famously said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free”. We still look to marble to convey beauty and power. Marble tiles, like those from https://www.irwintiles.ie/marble-stone-tiles, are an excellent example of those modern uses. Where do we get this splendid rock from?
For the most part, the seemingly endless supply of marble is gained from Italy in Carrara, located in the southern Alpine region of Apuan. This part of Europe still yields a significant amount of marble and allows for regular building work and artisan pieces to be commissioned from it.
However, Carrara has certain rivals throughout the world. In Afyon in Turkey, a particularly strong white-quality marble has been discovered. This lovely stone is proving to be very popular with suppliers and buyers of marble products. Plus, it can be cheaper to produce than its Italian counterpart.
Further, in North America, the grand marble fields of Canada and Vermont are also showing excellent quality, plus the owners have given a lot of consideration to the environmental consequences of their mining. Finally, back in Europe, where marble was first used as a high-quality building material for public buildings and art, Greece has the Pentell quarry.