Viganella, the town that stole the sun

Viganella, the town that stole the sun

In many places around the world, during the long winters, it can happen that one finds themselves in areas untouched by the sun. This astronomical phenomenon, called the Polar Night, occurs during the winter in regions above the Arctic Circle and below it: due to the Earth's axial tilt, the sun remains below the horizon for several days, with the duration varying depending on the latitude. The farther north you go, the earlier the polar night begins and the later it ends.

It follows, with a map in hand, that areas near the Poles and some regions north of the continents are accustomed to living with these phenomena, which, in fact, for large stretches, are the most characteristic aspects of places where one can also enjoy the Northern Lights. But what if the sun doesn't reach you because you are in a particular mountainous area? Enter Viganella, a town in the Antrona Valley, a Piedmontese valley bordering Switzerland, named after its majestic yet gloomy appearance: the surrounding relief prevents direct sunlight in the location throughout the winter period, from early November to early February.

This was the norm for the town until December 17, 2006, when Viganella decided to defy the dictates of the surrounding nature: it stole the sun. It all began in 1999, during the redevelopment of the main square. The mayor at the time, Franco Midali, turned to the expert gnomonics architect, Giacomo Bonzani, with an unusual question: "How can we have the sun on our square even on the dark days of winter?" The pioneering idea that emerged from that conversation turned into an incredible project.

Seven years of hard work and an investment of about 100,000 euros led to the creation of a gigantic mirror, 40 square meters wide, placed upstream of the town at an altitude of 1050 meters. This mirror moves automatically, following the Earth's movement, and reflects sunlight directly onto the town square for at least 6 hours a day. It's as if Viganella had stolen a piece of the sky and channeled it directly onto its square.

This magical mirror, however, is not the result of spells but of the vision and determination of a mayor and an architect. Its construction was a triumph of engineering and creativity, a tribute to the sunlight that has illuminated the lives of Viganella's inhabitants for centuries. The mechanism is not without challenges, requiring constant maintenance, but its international fame is due to its quality and the ingenuity behind its realization. It can even position itself vertically during the night to prevent snow and dust accumulation, while during the summer, it blends with the surrounding nature.

This extraordinary achievement takes on an even deeper meaning when one thinks of the centuries in which the Viganella community lived in darkness, mainly composed of miners, charcoal burners, and foundry workers. In addition to providing warmth, sunlight brings the joy of living and the desire to socialize, celebrated on the last dark day in the town, that of Candlemas.

Viganella, now part of the municipality of Borgomezzavalle after a merger with Seppiana in 2016, is a hidden gem in the mountains of Piedmont. Less than two hours' drive from bustling Milan, this quiet little village represents an extraordinary human conquest that stole the sun to bring it where it is needed most.

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