Italian Town Had To Deal With Darkness for Months Together — So, They Built Their Own 'Sun'

Giannino Broggio and his wife Romina Trischetti had longed for this day. In a video shared by DW, Trischetti can be seen standing before a wall, watching the shadow of her hand. In their town, sunlight was a rare thing. Until 2006, the town of Viganella remained enshrouded in darkness for at least three months a year. People abandoned the town and flocked to the surrounding villages, where they could bask in the Sun. Those who still chose to live in Viganella found themselves isolated as they couldn’t socialize in the absence of sunlight. Eventually, Franco Midali, the town’s then-mayor, got committed to bringing light to the village.

Viganella sits near the Italian border with Switzerland, clinging to a steep, rocky valley which is engulfed by the mountains. Until 2006, these mountains would block the sunlight falling into the valley, as a result of which, the Sun wouldn’t rise for three months to six months. Usually, the light would disappear around November 11 and wouldn’t be seen again until February 2, according to a report by VICE Italy. Since the 13th century, the residents had to endure almost 800 winters before Midali and other authorities got determined to do something about it.

It’s the outcome of Midali’s persistent and collaborative efforts that today, Broggio, Trischetti, and the entire town are once again illuminated by light. On 17th December 2006, approximately, Midali and his team ventured on a steep walk to the Alpe Scagiola, a rocky slope overlooking the Antrona Valley, 3,609 feet above the village. The path was challenging, accessible only with cable cars or mule trucks. Once they arrived here, the work began. Hovering atop the southern side of the valley, helicopters came whirring. Suspended from the helicopters with strings was a gigantic mirror glittering in the sunlight.

The mirror was about eight metres wide and five metres tall and cost about 100,000 pounds. Today, it remains glued to a mountainous side, from where it illuminates Viganella’s roofs, facades, and even the church’s northern side, where light rarely shows up. Thanks to the mirror, the town’s 163 residents can have light for at least six hours a day. A software program coded into the mirror enables it to rotate and reflect sunlight, showering the entire town with a bounty of light.

"The material reflects 95 percent of the sunlight. That's almost all of the light. But along the reflection path, light energy is lost due to dust and moisture particles in the air. Ultimately, the light beam has to travel another kilometer to reach the village," Midali shared with BR. "It wasn't easy," he added, "We had to find the proper material, learn about the technology, and especially find the money.” According to the BBC, the project was financed by regional authorities and a bank.

All this light is still “artificial light,” though. “Of course, it’s not as powerful as the real Sun. It’s just a mirror, but I am happy about this for sure,” said Candidi Mancini, in conversation with DW. Broggio said, “The light warms my heart. Something is happening that I could never have imagined.” Ushering with celebratory vibes, Trischetti added, “We have to celebrate the fact that we finally got Sun […] It’s wonderful!” Midali and others who were involved in this project believe that the project doesn’t have its basis merely in science, but in being human.

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