Argentiera
Discovering Argentiera: a historic village in Sardinia
If you want to visit a magical place in Sardinia, I want to tell you about Argentiera, a village in Sassari located in the northwest of the island.
History
Argentiera has a very peculiar history. Until the 1960s, it was a mine for the lead, zinc, and iron mining industry. Many of the wooden structures used are still present, although currently unused and abandoned. In 1963, the mining activity was interrupted.
Monuments and places of interest
Despite the abandonment of the site, Argentiera has become an important tourist destination, thanks to the recently funded restoration project.
Argentiera is part of the Geominerary Historical and Environmental Park of Sardinia and is Area 4, along with Nurra and Gallura.
The main buildings of the site are under restoration, but some, such as the Church of Santa Barbara and the Podestà well, have already been recovered.
The Cala dell'Argentiera is the main beach in the village, made up of coarse gray sand. Next to the beach is the Marine Cemetery, where miners and their families are buried.
Culture
Several cultural events take place in Argentiera, such as the annual literary festival held at the end of July in the main square of the village.
Not only events, but many films have also been shot in Argentiera. The Cala Rocchi San Nicola beach was used to film the final scenes of the movie "Chiedo asilo," while the main beach was the location for the opening scenes of the film "La scogliera dei desideri," featuring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
Moreover, since 2016, Argentiera has been the arrival point of the special stage "Sassari-Argentiera" of the Sardinia Rally, an event included in the World Rally Championship.
Conclusions
Argentiera is a truly enchanting place, a must-see tourist destination if you are in Sardinia. The combination of the remains of the mining activities and the natural landscape makes it very fascinating. If you want to come into contact with nature and at the same time discover the history of an ancient mine, I recommend visiting Argentiera.
