The Centre

The Documentary Information Centre (CID) was built by SNIA in 1962, following a design by architect Cesare Pea. At the time the SNIA was the largest Italian textile company, with many consolidated relationships abroad. The building, designed for official receptions for delegates from foreign companies and SNIA plants, was designed as a large exhibition space on several levels, with a conference room and enhanced by archaeological finds from Aquileia and by works by artists Enzo Mari, Angelo Biancini and Giancarlo Sangregorio.

The Centre has always housed the models of the town of Torviscosa and SNIA plants all over Italy and abroad from the late ‘50s. For many years it was also the home of the company’s technical library.

The Centre is now also home to paintings by Francesco Torri (Franco Marinotti) and his daughter Maria Luisa De Romans, donated by the Marinotti family to the Municipality of Torviscosa, and a ceramic collection created by the Torviscosa school-workshop.

The Centre was the official reception office for many years, during which it was not open to the public, except for temporary exhibitions. In 2009 the building and all its contents were entrusted to the care of the Municipality of Torviscosa and in 2011, thanks to major funding by the European Union, important extraordinary maintenance work was carried out. The Centre reopened to the public in 2014 under its original name “CID Centro Informazione Documentazione”. Today it houses important documentary heritage related to the history of Torviscosa, making it accessible to all and promoting its knowledge and study.