Porto Flavia

39º 20' 14'' N 8º 24' 45'' E

Italy

Description

Porto Flavia is a sea harbor located near Nebida in the Iglesias comune of Italy. Built in 1923–24, it served as the mineral production hub of Masua in the west coast of the Sardinian Iglesiente area. It is named after Flavia Vecelli, the daughter of Cesare Vecelli, who engineered and designed the harbor.

Extracted Materials

The Masua hub was a complex of several mining operations in the Sulcis area, a region of Sardinia rich in coal, sulphur, barium, zinc, lead, silver and other metals.

Antropological info

The mines' owner asked the Italian engineer Cesare Vecelli to devise a solution to improve steamship loading time and cost. Vecelli surveyed the coasts of Masua, ultimately finding the perfect spot in the high cliffs in front of the Pan di Zucchero stack. Here, the sea was deep enough and well-protected from wind and waves to allow a safe mooring, while the ore could be loaded from the cliffs by gravity.

Sociologal info

A charming beach with iridescent colours, a jewel on the southwestern coast of Sardinia, suspended between present and past, a past in which the voices of the miners still echo from the tunnels dug out of the rock overlooking the sea. It is great tourist destination.

Archaeological info

Extraction began in 1600, but became economically relevant only in the early 1900s when the mining business in the whole region experienced a quick expansion. The extraction, especially of the coal caves, was operated on a low-technology basis until the early 20th century. Since the late 1800s metal-gathering enjoyed more modern techniques, as it was controlled mostly by rich north-European corporations more willing to commit money in improving the mining efficiency.

Sustainable tourism insights

If you are planning a trip to Southern Sardinia, you should make it a point to pay a visit to Porto Flavia., for this is one of the most unique, breathtaking places to visit on the island, and truly one of a kind in the world. This masterpiece of engineering is located near Nebida, in the province of Iglesias, in the South of Sardinia and at about 1.5 hours drive from Cagliari; and it can be accessed by road from Masua, one of the nicest beaches in the area.

Environment sustainability

Venting holes were opened on the side of the galleries. Mechanical iron hatches were installed, along with the electric railway into the upper tunnel. The train brought the ore to the loading hatches of the reservoirs, while in the lower tunnel the unloading hatches fed the ore to the conveyor belt leading to the ships. The belt was covered with a steel casing to prevent the wind blowing away zinc oxide powder. It was extensible, and retracted after a load was delivered to the ship's hold.