The Mining Trail of Saint Barbara

TITOLOCAPITOLO

THE ROUTE

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Portu Banda Lamarmora washery

Iglesias ➜ Nebida

Masua Lamarmora tunnel 1.12

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Rio

s

a aM

1.13

Fontanamare

1.11

Nebida

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Campumari

M. Trubixedda

M. S. Giuseppe M. Coremo'

Saint Barbara church Saint Barbara church

P.Ta Mezzodi' 18

P.ta Su Pranu

Domus Nieddas Campu Pirastu

Pitzu Luas

M. Campu Pirastu

Bega Su Pitticheddu

M. S. Pietro

Genna Murtas

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M. Arbu

M. Azzieddas

C. S. Pietro Serra Paurinu

M. Scorra

1.10

M. Meu Sa Punta S'Olioni 14

Cuccu Mannu

P.ta de su Callau Asceru

P.ta is Ollastus

Cuccu Picciu

Santa Barbara Saint Barbara church Agruxiau mine M. Agruxiau 1.9 San Giovanni mine Church of Saints Battista and Barbara

Bindua

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Sa P.ta 'e Candiazzus

M. Fenugu

S. Severino

Arcu De Is Moddizzis Cungiaus excavation site

P.ta Nebidedda

Monteponi

Monteponi station

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Medau Zedde 1.7

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Cungiaus

1.8

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1.6

Genna Maiori P.ta Is Coris

1.5

Saint Barbara church

M. Casula

Vergine Maria

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M. Gravellu

P.ta Gesus

Campera M. Cresia

C. Eca

C. Olla

Cuc.ru Suergiu C. Cabitza

Campo Pisano mine P.ta Corona Menga

Saint Barbara church

C. Sciascia

1.4

Iglesias

Campo Pisano Saint Francesco church

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1.3

Sanctuary of Buon Cammino

1.2 1.1

Saint Chiara cathedral P.ta Carcadroxiu

C. Piria Is Lois M. Palmas

Gennarta

From Iglesias to Nebida

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NEBIDA

MOUNT SCORRA

MOUNT AGRUXIAU

MONTEPONI MINE

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IGLESIAS

200

MONTE CASULA

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SANCTUARY OF BUON CAMMINO

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0m 0km

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DISTANCE:

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20.9km

GRADIENT: ASCENT 753m DESCENT 797m

average 7 hours

DIFFICULTY: TIME:

Information Fondazione Cammino Minerario di Santa Barbara, Via Roberto Cattaneo 70, Iglesias, ph. +39 0781-24.132, info@ camminominerariodisantabarbara.org, www.camminominerariodisantabarbara.org.

Iglesias Tourist Office, Piazza Municipio 1, ph. +39 0781-27.45.07, infoturistiche@ comune.iglesias.ca.it, www.visitiglesias. comune.iglesias.ca.it.

Pro Loco Iglesias, Via Crispi 13, ph. +39 0781-31.170, info@prolocoiglesias.it, www.prolocoiglesias.it.

Iglesiente Tourist Bureau, Piazza Municipio 1, ph. +39 348-317.80.65 / 347-27.73.705, info@ctiglesiente.it, www.ctiglesiente.it.

Public transport Train Station, Via Garibaldi 76, Iglesias.

The train station is linked to the port of Cagliari and the airport of Cagliari/Elmas.

Zoppo Paolo taxi service, ph. +39 33862.42.141.

Dan. Travel, minibuses, cars with driver, ph. +39 0781-35.00.73 / 335-67.62.964, info@autonoleggiodantravel.com, www.autonoleggiodantravel.com.

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Piras Gianfelice Car Rental, Via Campania 22, Cagliari, ph. +39 070-80.05.110 / 070-64.97.195 / 393-91.17.576 / 32974.78.970, www.sardegnatrasferimenti. com, info@sardegnatrasferimenti.com, gianfelicepiras@sardegnatrasferimenti.com.

Transfer in Sardinia, Via Sassari 73, Cagliari, ph. +39 347-09.39.232, www.transferinsardinia.com, transferinsardinia@gmail.com.

Accommodation Posada del Convento, Via Crispi 5, ph. +39 347-99.74.433, remigiocabras@ gmail.com, 20 beds, use of kitchen, subject to donation. Open all year.

Hotel Artu, Piazza Sella 15, ph. +39 078122.492 / 0781-22.546, hotelartu@tiscali. it, 36 beds, €30–35 (special group rates), open all year. At the start of the Trail.

Euro Hotel Iglesias, Via Fratelli Bandiera 34, ph. +39 0781-22.634, info@ eurohoteliglesias.it, 50 beds, €35–55 (special group rates), open all year.

600m from the start of the Trail.

Hotel Sa Lolla, Via Mameli 2/4, ph. +39 0781-25.11.20 / 346-12.48.343, info@hotelsalolla.com, 22 beds, €30, open all year. 950m from the start of the Trail.

For a comprehensive list of accommodation facilities, refer to the website www.camminominerariodisantabarbara.org, IGLESIAS:

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Iglesias ➜ Nebida

under the Accommodation section, or contact the Iglesias Tourist Bureau.

NEBIDA: Posada Nebida, Via Centrale 351, +39 0781-24.132, info@ camminominerariodisantabarbara.org, not yet in operation, you are advised to check the opening date and available services on the foundation’s website.

Locanda L’Agusteri, Villaggio Tanca Piras, Via S’Argiola 37, ph. +39 0781-25.21.36 / 348-55.09.580, 14 beds, €35–50, open all year.

B&B Pedra Rubia, Via Santa Margherita, ph. +39 320-84.10.636 / 348-85.21.863, info@pedrarubia.com, www.bb-sardegna. com, 7 beds, €30–45, Mar–Dec.

B&B La Pigna, Via Cala Domestica 21, ph. +39 334-94.74.224, spigamauri@ gmail.com, www.lapignanebida.it, 6 beds, €55–65, closed in February.

B&B La Vecchia Montagna, Corso Pan di Zucchero 198, ph. +39 349-58.90.627, lavecchiamontagna@tiscali.it, 10 beds, €50–60, open all year.

Vacanze Sud Ovest Sardegna, Via S’Argiola 37, ph. +39 339-77.24.176, valeria78dag@alice.it, 6 beds, €20 per person, open all year.

Nebida Vacanze, Via S’Argiola 3, ph. +39 338-58.07.097 / 339-71.62.490, info@nebida.com, www.nebida.com, 16 beds, €25–35, open all year.

From the very first stage, we journey over Italy’s oldest limestone-dolomite rocks and large lead, zinc and silver deposits, which were the object of centuries of intense mining activity.

At once, we dive into Sardinia’s great cultural, environmental and religious heritage.

From the medieval city of Iglesias to the village of Nebida, we encounter chapels, churches and religious buildings devoted to the patron saint of miners. Passing through the sanctuary of the Madonna del Buon Cammino imbues this first day with a special spiritual meaning.

The stage is moderately challenging, not so much due to the distance, but for the two uphill stretches to be negotiated in the first section of the route, to reach the Colle del Buon Cammino (341m a.s.l.) and the Cungiaus excavation site (323m a.s.l.).

We start next to the Quintino Sella monument (188m a.s.l.), in the square by the same name in the medieval city of IGLESIAS [1.1]. Having left the square, we enter the historic centre through Via Matteotti, continuing to Piazza Lamarmora where we follow Via Sarcidano and Vico Duomo, and arrive in Piazza Municipio. We cross the square diagonally, keeping the ancient Saint Chiara cathedral and the Palazzo Vescovile on our left [1.2] until we reach Via Satta where, after turning left, we arrive at the church of Saint Francesco [1.3]: here is the first chapel devoted to Saint Barbara. After exiting the Saint Francesco church, we bear left on Via San Marcello and immediately follow the SS 126 to the right. At the bend in the road, we walk straight ahead on Via Buon Cammino, leaving Piazza Conte Ugolino on the right, and following the medieval walls for ca. 300m, then following the sealed road on the left, which leads to the top of the hill, to the sanctuary and the monastery devoted to the MADONNA DEL BUON CAMMINO [1.4] (339m a.s.l.).

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Iglesias ➜ Nebida

IGLESIAS.

The Madonna del Buon Cammino shows pilgrims the way.

The Trail continues off the sealed road, next to the boom gate to the sanctuary and monastery, and follows the cart track on the left, which after skirting the sanctuary fence westwards, leads to Monte Cresia. We keep walking along the ancient mule trails and mining tracks crossing the hilly mineral ore deposits, clearly indicated with the Trail’s stickers and aluminium plaques with a tower and a directional arrow in yellow against a blue background; here amongst the dense Mediterranean scrub, one can discern the first signs of past mining activity (wells, excavations, tunnels and calcination furnaces).

Once in the MONTE CASULA area, we can follow the signposted path on the left, which leads to the archaeological site by the same name [1.5]; we then retrace our steps and continue on the cart track leading slightly downhill at first, then on a steep ascent, to the Cungiaus mining area. Having arrived at the hilltop (323m a.s.l.), we access an embankment through a gate, and can safely view the vastness of the mining excavations of the past 2000 years. From here, we quickly descend along a sealed road going as far as the MONTEPONI MINE [1.6] (176m a.s.l.). We enter the mine through a portal on the north side of Piazza Giovanni Paolo II, where the church of Saint Barbara is located [1.7]. We walk uphill along the main road of the large mine, from where the impressive evidence of mining activity is visible. Among these, the Sella shaft deserves a visit [1.8]. After walking on the left of the historical mining archive building, we keep going westwards, passing next to various abandoned equipment until we reach the ruins of the Galletti washery. From here we descend along the hairpin bends leading to the mining village of MONTE AGRUXIAU [1.9], which can be reached after crossing Iglesias’ northern ring road. Having arrived at the village square, 37

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Iglesias ➜ Nebida

where the church dedicated to Saint Barbara is, we follow the road on the right, which leads to the abandoned mining village of MOUNT SCORRA [1.10] (235m a.s.l.), along a comfortable lane recently covered in cement pavers.

Following the village of mount Scorra, we leave the Iglesias valley behind us and hike downhill for ca. 500m, until we reach the bottom of a small valley that houses the ruins of an old washery. From the bottom of the valley, we keep climbing up to the Pittau sheepfold, where we commence the descent towards the coast, with a southern view of the Fontanamare coastline. We keep walking along the paved lane until we reach a sealed country road on the right. We follow it for 1.3km, then turn right onto a dirt track leading past the old mining landfills, to the upper part of the NEBIDA [1.11] mining village, a hamlet in the Iglesias township, where we can take in the magnificent sight of the Nebida-Masua coastline with the Pan di Zucchero stack always in sight.

At the end of the square, before the miners’ buildings, we bear right at the opening of a low wall, following a small trail running downhill along the town. We reach the brick entrance of the Santa Margherita tunnel, which we leave on the left, and turn left again to reach the flat road leading us to the church of Saint Barbara [1.12]. We keep walking downhill along Via Sandro Pertini, then follow Via Corallo on the left, traversing it for ca. 100m, then taking the short stretch of road on the right, which leads us to the main street in the village, the SP 83.

We then cross to the opposite side of the local road, going right first then left, to reach Piazza del Belvedere [1.13] (145m a.s.l.) where the first stage of the Trail ends.

Alternative route from Iglesias to Monteponi (–7km)

Anyone wishing to shorten this first stage and make it easier, can follow the alternative route that bypasses the uphill sections to the Buon Cammino hill, Monte Casula and the Cungiaus excavations: the Monteponi mine can be reached from Iglesias by following the old, slightly downhill bicycle path, which in the past the miners used to go to Monteponi.

It’s a distance of ca. 2.3km that runs south-west on the left side of the roadway, starting at the end of Via Roma near the western gate (Porta Nuova) of Iglesias’ old city walls. At the start of this route, on the left of Via Cattaneo, we can see the small church of Saint Barbara, built in 1910 by the Monteponi Company, to promote the worship of the patron saint of miners. Every year the church also housed the statue of the saint (usually kept in Iglesias), in the week when she was carried in a procession that followed this same route.

What to see Iglesias The area of Iglesias has been inhabited since ancient

Neolithic times. The abundance of mineral resources (silver, lead and 38

Iglesias ➜ Nebida

MONTEPONI.

The mine’s foundry incinerator building and chimney.

zinc) attracted the mighty powers in the Mediterranean: Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans, who began the intensive exploitation of ore mines in the Iglesias region.

In the Middle Ages the city, named Villa Ecclesiae, flourished under the rule of Pisa when, after the Judicate of Cagliari disintegrated (1258), it was assigned to Count Ugolino della Gherardesca, of the Donoratico family (the character described by Dante Alighieri in the XXXIII canto of the Inferno). It was armed with defensive walls and towers, the castle-fortress of San Guantino was built on the Salvaterra hill, several valuable churches were built, a mint was founded where silver “aquilini” were coined. The citizens’ lives were regulated by an important statute named Breve di Villa di Chiesa, which foresaw rules for managing the mining activities. Between 1284 and 1288, Count Ugolino ordered the construction of the SAINT CHIARA CATHEDRAL, the only Christian cathedral dedicated to the saint from Assisi.

Not far from the cathedral is the CHURCH OF SAINT FRANCESCO, the original foundations of which are smaller than the current ones and date back to 1328; it is linked to the presence of a Franciscan convent of friars minor. Inside the chapel dedicated to Saint Barbara there are tombstones, recently restored by the Associazione Pozzo Sella, bearing the names of the miners who died in the Iglesias mine between 1922 and 1931. These names are symbolic of all those miners who, over the centuries, lost their lives to the arduous work in the mines and which we remember and pay homage to at the start of our journey.

Art lovers can also admire the Mainas altarpiece inside the church, a polyptych in tempera on canvas attributed to Antiochus Mainas (1537–1571).

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Iglesias ➜ Nebida

The sanctuary and monastery of Buon Cammino Located

on the hill by the same name and overlooking the city of Iglesias, it was built in several stages and with different construction techniques, during the first half of the 17th century; in 2000 it was expanded to house the monastery of the order of the Poor Clares. The worship of the Madonna del Buon Cammino stems from that of the Virgin Hodegetria, of Byzantine origin like Saint Barbara, signifying: “guide of the journey” or “leader.” Stopping by this sanctuary thus enables wayfarers/pilgrims to start their journey in a place of worship and prayer devoted to the Virgin Del Buon Cammino, who traditionally shows wayfarers the way. The Poor Clares in the monastery of Buon Cammino are passionate supporters of the activities of the Mining Trail of Saint Barbara, for which they wrote the Testimonium text; they welcome pilgrims with joy and courtesy, stamp their credentials and wish them a pleasant journey with songs and prayers. To visit the sanctuary, you are advised to try and call the night before on ph. +39 0781-31.427.

Monte Casula The archaeological site of Monte Casula is located in

a karst called Su Mrajani cave; archaeological finds from the ancient Neolithic to Roman civilisation, relating to both housing and funeral functions, have been found here. The opening can be accessed via two entry points: an elliptical shaft 6×4m, 5m deep; and a tunnel 0.5m in diameter that opens level to the surrounding terrain, on the west side of the cave. Passing through here, one can experience the feeling of starting the Trail from an inhabited place, by people who first arrived in this land 8000 years ago.

Monteponi The MINE of lead, zinc and silver in Monteponi is one of

the most significant testaments of Sardinia’s mining epic. The exploitation of the rich mineral ore deposits began with the Carthaginians and the Romans. After ups and downs and long periods of inactivity, mining experienced a significant upturn in the 13th century, when the Pisans resumed the works initiated by the Romans and opened numerous pits of considerable depth, to extract lead sulphides (galena) and which contained significant quantities of silver.

However, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that the exploitation of mineral resources intensified with the industrialisation process that swept through Europe. The Monteponi society, formed in 1850 by entrepreneurs from Turin and Genoa, became one of the most important companies in Italy, epitomising Italy’s industrial excellence at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle.

Not to be missed: the SAINT BARBARA CHURCH; the Bellavista palace (formerly the location of the mine management, with the adjacent director’s residence and now the university headquarters); the impressive industrial archaeological buildings of the SELLA SHAFT recently restored and open to the public; the warehouses that currently house 40

Iglesias ➜ Nebida

Sardinia’s vast historic mining archive. Without forgetting the impact of excavations and mine tailings on the surrounding landscape.

Mount Agruxiau and mount Scorra The decommissioned lead

and zinc mines of mount Agruxiau and mount Scorra were exploited from the end of the 19th century until the 1960s. About 30 families still inhabit the village that developed next to the mount Agruxiau mine, while the village built next to mount Scorra mine was completely abandoned soon after mining stopped.

Nebida Its origins date back to the 17th century, when the first mining

activities commenced and around which the settlement developed. In the early 20th century the number of residents peaked at around 3000 people, of which almost a third were employed in the mine’s various worksites. Activity ceased in the 1980s.

In the upper section of the village is the church devoted to SAINT BARBARA. Nowadays the residents of Nebida keep the worship of the patron saint of miners alive: the traditional procession in her honour takes place every year.

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The mine stays with you You want to know what a mine is? The mine has always been part of our story, but now it’s not.

The lead and zinc mines, the ones I worked in, are the most dangerous for silicosis. This disease devours your lungs, it explodes inside you after you’ve already left and changed your profession. Almost all the former miners are sick with silicosis, they die from lack of air. From punctured lungs. Mine dust particles still kill today.

The dust. There was always dust inside the mine, you couldn’t breathe. After the mines exploded it was terrible, you went in and there was only dust. Ventilation came late. Some miners fainted because there was no air; we’d find them like that, once the dust settled.

Dead. Dead at the end of the shift. The end of work was the most dangerous time. Hundreds of explosions detonated one after the other. The tunnels filled with the roar of explosions. The mines were detonated in sequence and a great dust cloud rose above the tiredness, the desire to see the outside again, the light.

Drifts, shafts and access tunnels. In the mine you work hori-

zontally, through drift passageways that follow the vein of the ore.

Then there are the shafts and the access ramps, vertical connections between levels in the tunnel. They’re used to go up and down, to circulate the air, to extract the ore. In the mine you work with voids, we worked up to 60m below sea level. Taking everything out of the Earth.

We came out wet from the ore mine. With our shirts soggy with water and sweat. And when you got out, the water wasn’t enough to wash it off. The mine stays with you, its stale smell stays on your skin, the mineral taste saturates your clothes, your body.

The more the tunnel tightens, the more you descend into the bowels of the Earth, the hotter it gets, there’s no air…

The best day in the mine? When the production bonus was tied to the price of ore. It was a great win. In the 1970s we were a movement, we fought together. We were workers and proud of it. Then they swallowed us up and merged. They made us retire at 45. At the age of 45, we found ourselves unemployed, out of work. A good pension and no future.

I left for a while and when I got back the thing that struck me the most was realising that the mines were a thing of the past. We built ourselves rich people’s homes, stopped having kids, ended up in bars.

Gerardo Former miner. Carbonia, July 2006 42

We reached the mine on foot I was born in Montecani in 1930. At the age of 17 I began working at Acquaresi, I worked outside in the workshop. Unfortunately, the workshop didn’t pay well, so I told the foreman I wanted to get into the tunnel and they transferred me to the mine where one could earn a bit more. I reached the Scalittas mine on foot, along this path even at night when the third shift started, in summer and winter. The carbide lamp lit up the path and when it was windy the burner blew out, so you put a cover or a piece of metal over the burner, but you always went slowly po fai luxi a su mori (“to light up the path�).

Gino Former miner, 82 years old. Nebida, 2012

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