The Arms Factory

The Arms Factory was the first establishment that marked the beginning of industrialisation in the Terni basin. It began its activities in 1881 with the production of the 1870 Vetterli rifle.

The factory, consisting of seven workshops, utilised the power of the Nerino Canal through a derivation of the same. It was built on an area of approximately 48.000 square meters, provided free of charge by the Municipality of Terni.
British machinery was installed and by the early 1890s, the factory was producing 200 rifles per day, including the famous Model 91 used during the First World War.
The facility was modified in 1911, when more modern machinery was installed and a power station was built. The factory experienced significant development during the two world wars, with the workforce reaching up to 6-7.000 employees.

The factory which is still operational today, no longer for the production but for the maintenance of light weapons for the Italian Army and NATO, under the name Light Weapons Maintenance Hub.
Inside the factory today is the Museum of Light Weapons, showcasing a collection of weapons produced worldwide from the 19th century to the present day.