VIGANELLA, THE COUNTRY WITH THE ARTIFICIAL SUN

Viganella is located in the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola and is part of the Valle Antona, one of the narrow valleys of the Val d'Ossola with just over one hundred inhabitants and one particularity: for centuries, from November to February, the mountains that they surround completely block the sun's rays. Eighty-three days of continuous darkness to which the local people have come to get used to the point that the return of natural light is still celebrated today, on February 2nd of every year, with a big party. In Viganella the sun is not there for three months a year. But we are not close to the North Pole or in the Scandinavian countries. Viganella can be called the Italian Siberia. The situation in the valley recalls what happens in Siberia and towards the North Pole, with long hours of darkness during the winter and low light. For centuries the inhabitants have been able to adapt to the situation, until, with the support of engineers and architects, the mayor of the village has decided to invest in the construction of the mirror, which has a surface of 40 square meters and is positioned at a altitude of about 1100 meters.