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The internal Gallura from Tempio Pausania to Luogosanto, Aggius, Bortigiadas

At this stage of our travel we will visit the town of Tempio Pausania, from where we will go to Luogosanto, then to Aggius in order to go to visit the fascinating Valley of the Moon, and finally to Bortigiadas.
 

Tempio Pausania historic capital of Gallura

From Calangianus, following the SS127, after 8 km we arrive to the town of Tempio Pausania (Gallurese name T?piu, mt. 566, ab. 13,943), an important center that during the period of the decline of Olbia became, for over two hundred years, the seat of the Diocese and thus the most important centre of the Gallura. It is situated in a landscape dominated by the mass of the Limbara Mount, than it is risen towards south-east and it surpasses from the 1362 meters of Punta Sa Berritta. The town is characterized by construction entirely done with blocks of granite gray.

Some historical signal.

The name of Temple seems to derive from the presence of a Roman temple dedicated to Castor and Pollux (Templum), where today stands the church of the Rosary, presumably on a previous Nuragic settlement, and around the temple a first takeover begins to develop itself. However, about Tempio it is spoken for the first time only in a document of 1173 that contains an agreement between the bishop of Civita and the city of Pisa. But still in 1300 Villa Templi is a center of reduced dimensions. In 1506 the episcopal chairs of Ampurias and Civita come unified and, at the end of the century, the bishop is based in Tempio, which becomes the largest center of the Gallura. In '600 it becomes the site of an important market of the cattle and in 1836 it obtains from Carl Alberto the title of city. Since the end of the century Tempio lives of an agricultural and artisan economy, the main characteristics are working with cork and granite and cultivation of vineyards from which you get very fine wines.

The Social Wine cellar Gallura.

Like in all the Gallura, even here is mainly cultivated grape vine Vermentino. The Social Wine cellar Gallura (Cantina Sociale Gallura), with 160 members, above all cultivates in 325 hectares of sandy soils in nature granite especially Vermentino and Nebbiolo grapes, grape variety imported from Piedmont in 1700. The winery since 1956 produces some between best wines than all the island: DOCG wines di Gallura (Vermentino Superiore Canayli, Vermentino Superiore Genesi, Vermentino Piras, Vermentino Gemellae, Vermentino Mavriana) and IGT wines Colli del Limbara (Vermentino Balajana, Nebbiolo Dolmen, Rosso Karana, Rosato novello Luna Nova, Rosato Campos). DOC also produces wines of Sardinia (Cannonau Templum, Moscato di Tempio) and other wines (Bianco frizzante Ladas e Moscato Ladas Brut).

Visit the city centre.

Entrances in the historical center we cover the roads, between well-maintained houses nearly all with granite at sight.

The Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle.

We reach Piazza San Pietro where we find the beautiful cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle (San Pietro Apostolo), built in Aragonese baroque style but almost entirely rebuilt to first of the eight hundred.

The church and oratory of Santa Croce.

To the right of the facade of the cathedral we see the church of Santa Croce, planting medieval modified in the '800.

The church and the oratory of Rosario.

On the left going towards the apse of the cathedral, we arrive in a Square and in front we find the church of the Rosary (Rosario), built probably in the '200 in Pisan period in Romanesque style with subsequent changes in Gothic-Aragonese style.

Piazza Gallura with the Municipal Palace.

Behind the cathedral the central Piazza Gallura is found that accommodates the Municipal Palace; while in the nearby Piazza del Purgatorio the modest church of Purgatory (Purgatorio) is found, made to build up from the Pope in sign of atonement for a member of Misorro noble family that had completed a slaughter in this place. The inhabitants of the zone are still accustomed to going there to pray after the funerals.

The Tempiese Carnival.

One of the most significant events in Temple is the Tempiese Carnival (Carrasciali Timpiesu), focused on the figure of King George, which brings us back to pre-Roman times when the spirit of the earth that bears fruit, which were offered sacrifices, was called Giorgi. The most interesting aspect of the event is, from the forty-five years, the parade of allegorical wagons, which also participate fifty thousand spectators. The parade takes place on the Thursday fat, when King George enters in the city; Sunday with the marriage of the King; Tuesday with the process and its condemnation at stake.

Exiting from Tempio Pausania.

Crossing the country we exceed the park of San Lorenzo and find the entry of Rinaggia sources from which springs a diuretic water much appreciated, that anyone can take for their own consumption. It is one of the most appreciated water of which is rich Gallura, all filtered from its granite and enriched with mineral salts.

The fraction of Nuchis with the parochial of the Saint Spirit.

Resumption the SS127 towards Calangianus, after 2,5 km we take on the left the SP9 that in 2,5 km brings us to the picturesque fraction of Nuchis where the parochial church of the Saint Spirit (Spirito Santo) can be visited, that it constitutes a beautiful parochial complex with the oratory of the Saintest Cosma and Damiano.

The nuraghe Majori.

Exiting from Tempio on the SS133 for Palau, arrived at km 1.5 we park and following the indications we take a dirt road which after a few hundred meters brings us to nuraghe Majori. Thhis is nuraghe with a single tower of mixed type, which combines the characteristics of nuraghi with corridor  with those of nuraghi to tholos. The differences indicate constructive developments subsequent initial construction.

From Temple make a detour to Luogosanto

We continue on the SS133 that introduces us a splendid view of the Limbara Mount. After 20 km leads us to Luogosanto (name Logusantu in Sardinian language, Gallurese name Locusantu, mt. 321, ab. 1835); from here then the state continue towards Palau. The country was born in the medieval period in the heart of the Gallura, at the foot of Ghjuanni Mount, and according to tradition  comes reconstructed by the Franciscans in the thirteenth century. From this derives its name. During the Aragonese domination its inhabitants contrast overbearingnesses of feudal lords and the mid-fifteenth century the country depopulates. After more than two hundred years some shepherds they begin to build up in zone their tonnages but one develops to the banditry and the contraband, finding itself own in the route between Tempio and Santa Teresa di Gallura. Only at the beginning of the twentieth century began to develop agriculture, viticulture and breeding. Despite the size of the country, to Luogosanto there are twelve churches.

The parish of Our Lady (Nostra Signora) of Luogosanto.

In the high part of the country the parochial church of Our Lady (Nostra Signora) of Luogosanto is found, around which arose the first medieval village. This church was granted the privilege of having the Holy Door, which is open every seven years for 12 months and for a year it becomes a destination for pilgrimage by thousands of faithfuls.

The natural park of La Filetta Source.

From the inside of the country it leave the road that leads on the Casteddu Mount to the Natural Park of La Filetta Source. Among oaks and cork trees are the homonymous source, whose waters are renowned property trace elements and diuretic.

The hermitage of Saint Trano.

Along the SP14 for Arzachena, shortly after leaving the country we find a deviation to the right marked by a cartel, which leads us to the hermitage of Saint Trano (Eremo di San Trano), a small church built near the cave where, according to tradition, around '500 saints Trano and Nicholas would be lived in hermitage. In the cave were found the remains of the two hermits.

The castle of King Baldo with the church of Saint Stephen of Balaiana.

Always continuing on the SP14 we find another narrow lane on the left, leading us to the castle of King Baldo, of the thirteenth century, probably the summer residence of Judge of Gallura. Annexed to the castle is the church of Saint Stephen (Santo Stefano) of Balaiana, which was the palate chapel.

Aggius and the Valley of the Moon

Exiting from Tempio on the SS127, just outside the city on the right we take the SP27 that after 4 km leads us to Aggius, from where we will visit the picturesque Valley of the Moon. Aggius (name Azos in Sardinian language, Gallurese name Agghju, mt. 514, ab. 1696) is one of the most ancient centers of the Gallura, located between the mighty mass of Limbara and an articulate crown of mountains that gives it a unique landscape, a landscape characterized by clusters of granite and rounded hills. This is a characteristic towns, with houses in the historic centre of granite, which survives in the textile art and still achieve the precious wool Sardinian carpets of Gallura.
Given the harshness of the landscape, the hills around Aggius was shot the film 'Deguejo' di Giuseppe Vari, of 1965 with Jack Stuart, Dan Vadis and Dick Regan.

The country that gave birth to the Mute of Gallura, one of the main Sardinian bandits.

To Aggius Bastiano Tansu has been born, one of the most famous Sardinian bandits known as the Mute of Gallura, involved in a bloody-thirsty originated from a livestock border violation, that upset Aggius between 1849 and 1856, causing more than seventy victims and marking the fate of various families. You can read his life in volume Mute di Gallura, a beautiful biography written by Enrico Costa.

The panoramic road of Aggius and the Resegone Mount.

Around the citizen the panoramic road of Mounts of Aggius is developed, a ring asphalted that it turns around the slopes of mounts of Aggius, a fraught chain located behind the town and called for his line with a serrated edge the Sardinian Resegone and winds between large boulders of granite allowing splendid views of woods and rocks. The mountains of Aggius are modest reliefs, the maximum 788 meters of Sozza Mount, but with jagged peaks, and the road admires a landscape still intact, with lush forests of cork trees, the pond of Santa Worthy and the entire valley that watches towards Tempio.

In the Plains of Great Stones also known as the Valley of the Moon.

From Aggius we exit on the SP74 in direction of Trinit?d'Agultu and, paths around 7 km, after a curve, there is before our eyes the incredible spectacle of the Plains of Great Stones (Piana dei Grandi Sassi), better known as Valley of the Moon (Valle della Luna), a vast plateau sprinkled rock stage of granite that owes its name to the unique features of the landscape. A lunar landscape precisely, with little vegetation consists of a few trees holm oak and a few blocks from cork, punctuated by large boulders erratic granite blocks or in a group, some of which take strange forms smoothed by weather. Along the road appears that a big rock because of its shape Head of Platon (Testa di Platone). The plane is also rich in tafoni, granite rocks excavated from the elements and used as shelters natural prehistoric era. One scenario in which even the blades of wind generators seem to be confused with the charm of the countryside.

The nuraghe Izzana.

In the heart of the plains is the nuraghe Izzana, one of the best preserved of the Gallura, entirely in granite. We arrive exiting from Aggius on the SP74 towards Trinit?d'Agultu and after about 2 km turn right into a dirt road, after 1.3 km right again in a rugged path that crosses different pasture land and after another half km and brings us before the nuraghe. It is a Nuraghe of mixed type: matching the characteristics of nuraghi to corridor with those of nuraghi to tholos or false dome. The differences indicate constructive developments subsequent initial construction.

Towards Trinit?d'Agultu and Vignola.

The SP74 is continuing in an exceptional landscape, including forests and high mountains granite, to lead us to Trinit?d'Agultu and Vignola, on the coast and then up to Isola Rossa, location of which speak later in another stage of our trip.

Bortigiadas

Exiting from Tempio on the SS127, after 3.5 km we take on the right the SP146 that after 2.5 kilometers makes us enter into Bortigiadas (name in Sardinian language Boltizadas, Gallurese name Bultigghjata, mt. 479, ab. 898), a small village that lives of agriculture and tourism, born on the ancient Roman road which connected Olbia to Tibula, near Castelsardo, passing through Temple. In the town center is the Museum of Mineralogy (Museo Mineralogico) containing numerous pieces of great value.

The nuraghe Su Nuracu.

From Bortigiadas we take the SP146 towards Viddalba and after about 12 km, just before the bridge over the Riu Gazzini, we turn on the left into a white street. From here, after several detours, we head towards Scopaggiu and find on the right the nuraghe Su Nuracu, single tower. Whose importance is that only 300 meters away finds the important domus de janas of Tisiennari.

The domus de janas of Tisiennari.

At about 300 meters to the right of the nuraghe we find the important domus de janas of Tisiennari, one of the rare examples of domus de janas of Gallura decorated, carved into a limestone wall consists of four environments. Throughout the tomb are traces of red paint.
 

The next leg of our journey

After to have visited the inside of the Gallura, our travel resumes, returned to Olbia, along the coast towards the gulf of Marinella and Porto Rotondo in order to carry us in Costa Smeralda and to Porto Cervo.

© Claudio de Tisi 2002-2009

The book is mentioned in this portal Sardinia Culture.