The name ‘Fabriano’ might stem from the Roman aristocratic name ‘Faberius’, most likely the owner of the land where medieval castles were later built. Alternatively, it could derive from the fusion of the Latin terms ‘Faber’ (blacksmith) and ‘Ianus’ (Janus, the river that flows through it). The city’s coat of arms depicts a three-arched stone bridge over the river Janus, with a blacksmith forging metal on an anvil. The motto, ‘Faber in amne cudit, olim cartam undique fudit,’ which loosely translates as ‘the blacksmith on the river forges, once paper was scattered everywhere’, celebrates Fabriano’s long-standing global leadership in high-quality paper production and trade since the 13th century.
By the mid-13th century, Fabriano became a free municipality, initiating the construction of new walls. The city retains the layout of its narrow streets and key central buildings from this period.
Fabriano is known as ‘The City of Paper’ because it has produced and exported paper throughout the world since the 13th century. Paper embodies the true identity of Fabriano and expresses its uniqueness. The papermaking tradition earned Fabriano the recognition as a UNESCO Creative City in 2013, in the Crafts&Folk Art cluster.
The cutting-edge innovations introduced by the papermakers gave life to a deeply rooted “know how” which spread far beyond Fabriano and came to be appreciated all over of the world.
One of the most sophisticated styles of papermaking is the production of artistic paper Filigrana (or artistic watermark), which is handcrafted by the master papermakers. This art has been passed on throughout the ages until today.
The city’s paper institute holds a uniquely significant collection of ‘Fabrianesi papers’ dating from 1278 to 1798, as showcased at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.
The city experienced a significant artistic phase in the late 1300s, reaching its peak with Allegretto Nuzi and later, Gentile da Fabriano.
Today, Fabriano is an important industrial hub, known not only for its paper production but also for manufacturing electrical appliances. This seamless integration of historical richness and modern vitality makes Fabriano one of the most vibrant towns in central Italy.
