Leonardo da Vinci designed a solar furnace that used mirrors to concentrate sunlight for high-temperature heating.
Leonardo investigated the use of many mirrors arranged to focus sunlight onto a small target. Concentrating light in this way raises the temperature at the focal point and can provide heat for industrial or experimental purposes. His work reflects Renaissance interest in optics, geometry, and the practical uses of reflected light.
A solar furnace is not a furnace powered by burning fuel. It depends on direct solar radiation and requires accurate alignment of reflective surfaces. Clouds, seasonal changes, and the apparent movement of the Sun make operation difficult without careful adjustment.
Leonardo’s mirror experiments are often linked with ideas for melting materials or producing intense heat. They were design studies rather than a documented, large-scale industrial installation. The underlying optical principle remains central to modern concentrated solar-power technology.