Industrial archaeological heritage

Strolling between Piazza Molini, Piazza Setificio and the streets of the same name means stepping into an important part of Agliè's industrial history: that of industrial archaeology, where past and present come together between the surviving architecture and shared memories. You can still feel the industrious spirit of a time when waterpower, human labour and technical ingenuity fuelled mills, silk-spinning mills and silk factories, the real driving forces behind the area's economic and social development. The old structures, now partly converted or incorporated into the urban fabric, tell a story of a past made up of work, solidarity and transformation.

• Piazza Molini and the nearby street were the beating heart of production in the mills, with canals and water wheels. There were two mills here: the upper mill, which provided flour and electricity, and the lower mill, which was used for fodder. There were also an oil mill, the ducal power station and the stables. All that is left today is the “upper mill”, now state-owned and the first step on the industrial itinerary of Agliè.
• Piazza Setificio and Via Setificio preserve the memory of the silk industry, an example of local excellence and an important source of employment, especially for women. The spinning mill, built in 1736 by Count San Martino, used water from Caluso Canal to power the twisting machines. Operational until 1932, the silk-spinning mill contributed to the town’s economic growth by employing up to 236 workers.

The protagonists of Agliè's industrial history include:

• Alberto Blumer, who founded a textile factory in 1896, later selling it to De Angeli Frua. The factory continued operating until 1953.
• Adriano Olivetti, who took it over in 1954, launching production of the famous Lettera 22 typewrite and ushering in a new social era for Agliè, which continued with the Lettera 32 and reprographic machines. The Olivetti factory, which closed its doors permanently in 2008, the year of its centenary.

Today, these historic spaces have been redeveloped and tell the story, in urban and cultural terms, of a crucial time in the village's identity. Slow tourism takes visitors on a journey through them, observing architectural details, listening to stories and rediscovering the value of an industrial heritage that is often forgotten but is essential to understand the character and progress of Agliè.