carrara , city , massa-carrara provincia (province), toscana (tuscany) regione (region), north-central italy . it lies along the carrione river in the foothills of the apuan alps, just northwest of massa and east of la spezia . acquired by the malaspina family in 1428, it constituted, with massa, the principality (1568) and duchy (1633) of massa-carrara. the city's notable landmarks include the 12th- to 14th-century cathedral, built in the pisan style, and the academy of fine arts, housed in the former ducal palace. the city is famous for some of the world's finest marble , called carrara , taken from nearby quarries and used by sculptors from michelangelo to henry moore .the marina di carrara, immediately to the southwest, is a beach resort on the ligurian sea , with port facilities for handling marble. pop. (2001) 65,034; (2011) 64,689.we welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. you can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind.