Caraglio Silk Mill

The Piedmont region was a pioneer in the factory production of silk and influenced aspects of the development of the factory system worldwide. Established by Count Galleani in 1678, the Caraglio mill is the oldest surviving silk factory in Europe. Production continued for over 250 years and ended in 1936. The building became derelict but restoration began in 1999 and it now houses a museum of the silk industry. The three-storey building appears like a palace, with grand staircase towers at the corners and courtyards inside. The museum has carefully recreated the original equipment, made mostly of wood, as it operated in the 17th and 18th centuries, including five waterwheels in the basement. With information panels it is possible to follow the production of silk from the arrival of the silk cocoons to the winding onto reels and the twisting of the thread.