They had no access to the sun. They built giant mirrors

Rjukan in Norway and Viganella in Italy. These places, due to their location, do not get sunlight for up to six months of the year for the residents. Officials decided to solve the problem by constructing giant mirrors that would reflect the rays – the same in both towns.

There are places in the world where it is sunny most days of the year. There are also places where residents have to deal with more or less darkness for long periods of time. Norwegians and Italians had problems accessing sunlight. Rjukan and Viganella, located in deep valleys, are examples of places located at latitudes that guarantee access to light. Sunlight does not reach people for six months of the year. All of this is due to the mountains that surround both cities and control the lights.

  • A mirror that illuminates the Italian town of Viganella
[1/2] A mirror that illuminates the Italian town of ViganellaPhoto Credit: © Licensee

Both cities decided to tackle the problem in a similar way. Viganella completed a computer-controlled giant mirror in 2006. Norwegian Rjukan built a similar structure a few years later, in 2013.

The rest of the article is below the video

A mirror placed on a hill above Rjugan (Norway).

A mirror placed on a hill above Rjukan (Norway).© Licensee | Terje Prestarhus

In Norway, the authorities decided to invest in three mirrors with a total area of ​​51 square meters. The structure above Rjukan is also computer controlled – and is located on a mountain slope at an altitude of about 450 m. Residents of the town, located about 150 km west of Oslo, had no access to sunlight until about five to six months ago. Installation of mirrors throughout the year.

Norbert Garbarek, journalist for Virtualna Polska

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