Fabbrica della Ruota

Zignone Brothers wool mill - today better known as the "Factory of the Wheel" - was built in 1878 in Pray Vallefredda, after a successful dispute resolution with Flecchia, on purpose to set up a mill for grinding cereals and threshing hemp in the same place. But Zignone, a long tradition busineman family, would like to concentrate its wool activities only in one area. At the end of the 19 century, Anselmo Giletti, who was the owner of the biggest Ponzone valley wool mill and, during those years, the Zignone factory tenant too, introduced the telodynamic system, theorized by Galileo Ferraris. Big wheels activated by a turbine and connected with metal cable characterise this still working system, that is the last preserved in Italy. This wool mill produced mainly carded clothes. In 1991 DocBi - Centro Studi Biellesi became the owner of this historical wool mill and turn it into a cultural pole. Today the "Factory of the Wheel" houses the "Centro di Documentazione dell'Industria Tessile", consisting of an industrial archives collection. The building is along the "Road of the wool", an ancient route that links Biella - the production area - to Borgosesia - the seat of an old wool market. Guided tours for groups and educational activities can be booked from Monday to Friday (9-17). We are open from June to October in Sundays on the occasion of art exhibitions periodically arranged.