San Maurizio d'Opaglio
Welcome to San Maurizio d'Opaglio, the home of the faucet industry
Welcome to San Maurizio d'Opaglio, a municipality in the province of Novara in Piedmont, renowned for being the center of the faucet industrial district. With a population of approximately 2989 inhabitants, the town is known for the numerous and historic companies in the sector that currently operate there.
History
The municipality of San Maurizio d'Opaglio dates back to 1568, when the parish was founded by the union of the historic villages of Briallo, Lagna and Opaglio. The parish church dedicated to San Maurizio was consecrated in 1590 on the basis of an existing oratory. The church of San Maurizio is already attested in the first half of the XVI century by a municipal registry, which mentions a church dedicated to San Maurizio in the locality of Briallo. The town was defended by a castle, destroyed in 1311 by the Novara Ghibellines.
The faucet industry began in the 1920s, and gradually expanded with the advent of additional manufactures. After World War II, the faucet industry experienced significant growth, bringing the town to become the heart of Italian faucet processing, thanks to the large number of companies operating in the field of faucet and valve manufacturing.
Monuments and places of interest
In addition to the church of San Maurizio, there are not many other tourist attractions in the municipality. However, the '''Faucet and its Technology Museum''' is definitely a great attraction for those passionate about the sector. The museum was founded in 1995 with the exhibition "Man and Water", and has been continuously improved and expanded. In 1997 the museum was one of the founding members of the Ecomuseo del Lago d'Orta and Mottarone. Additionally, the '''Theater of the Stonecutters''' is another important tourist attraction.
Society
In terms of demographic evolution, the municipality has maintained a relatively stable population over the last 20 years.
Culture
In addition to the aforementioned '''Faucet and its Technology Museum''' and the '''Theater of the Stonecutters''', San Maurizio d'Opaglio does not have many other cultural attractions. However, the municipality represents an important center of the faucet industry, and the companies operating in this sector offer significant job opportunities and unique experiences for those interested in the sector.
Anthropological Geography
The municipality of San Maurizio d'Opaglio is divided into several fractions, including '''Alpiolo''', '''Briallo''', and '''Lagna'''. Alpiolo is part of the parish of the island of San Giulio and includes a seventeenth-century little church dedicated to San Carlo. Briallo, on the other hand, is one of the three original residential nuclei of the town, along with Opaglio and Lagna. In the small village there are several late medieval houses that testify to its antiquity, although there are no historical documents for the earlier periods. Finally, Lagna is the settlement that appears in the oldest historical document of the municipality, a notarial deed drawn up in 800.
