ITALY: Giant mirror erected on top of a mountain in the Italian Alps to give a village sunlight

Record ID: 824339

  • Title: ITALY: Giant mirror erected on top of a mountain in the Italian Alps to give a village sunlight
  • Date: 21st December 2006
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PARA-GLIDERS NEAR REFLECTING MIRROR
  • Embargoed: 5th January 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Environment / Natural World,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA290N3VN5SRNOQ31YFAZU4OQM9
  • Story Text: A giant mirror has been erected on the top of a mountain in the Italian Alps to give a village sunlight.
    The village of Viganella, where less than 200 people live, is so deep in a steep valley that from November 11 to February 2 it hardly receives any sunshine.
    But that has changed now, thanks to the scheme dreamed up by Mayor Pierfranco Midali.
    "Viganella is the first village in the world that has the fortune to be lit naturally, by the sun, during the summer and technologically, by the mirror, during the winter. It's the first project and to be pioneers today is a great satisfaction," Mayor Pierfranco Midali said.
    Helped by an architect friend, Midali drew up a plan to install a 5-metre (16-foot) high, 8-metre (26-foot) wide mirror on the mountainside that would track the sun's movement and reflect its rays into Viganella's historic piazza.
    The mirror, which cost around 100,000 euros (131,000 U.S. dollars), was unveiled on Sunday (December 17) to the delight of Viganella's inhabitants.
    "It's beautiful," said Rosina, "I got to 70 years old and I thought I'd never see the winter sun in Viganella," she added with a dreamy smile. "It will make us warm" said another old woman.
    "It will be like a second stove for us," she added.
    As the inhabitants stood in wonder watching the light drawing unprecedented shadows on the walls surrounding the main square, the young mayor didn't hide his satisfaction for having provided the community with sun, a priceless good that can be enjoyed freely by everyone.
    Midali has been contacted by local authorities with similar problems in Canada, the United States and France.
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