Page 157 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sardinia

THE NOR TH AND THE C OST A SMER ALD A  155

making the maximum use of w Tempio Pausania structures in the area. By
cork bark. In September every Road map C2. * 14,000. @ heading south from the town
year Calangianus hosts an n Pro Loco (079 631 273). on state road 392 for 17 km
exhibition and trade fair of _ Shrove Tuesday: Carnival. (10 miles) you will pass close to
cork oaks and their many ∑ comune.tempiopausania.ot.it the summit of Monte Limbara
by-products, both on an (1,359 m, 4,459 ft), which can be
industrial and domestic scale. The capital of Gallura, Tempio reached in a few minutes on
In the centre of the old town, Pausania consists foot from the paved road.
in a small, isolated square, is of a large number Along the way you will
the small parish church of of modern buildings see the Curadoreddu
Santa Giusta, which was built which tend to road house (about
in the 17th century. obscure the 6 km, 4 miles, from
charming old town. Tempio Pausania);
Investigate further here, a turning to the
and discover two- left will take you to an
and three-storey abandoned fish farm,
buildings with dark Detail of from which you can
granite stone walls and Santa Croce admire an impressive
characteristic balconies. view of mountain rock
A short walk from the central pools and waterfalls. Water
Cork items produced in the Gallura region Piazza Gallura, site of the town flows from one great mass
hall and other public buildings, of rocks to the other, creating
Environs is the Cathedral – founded in cascades and hollows. The
Near the village of Luras the 15th century but rebuilt in spectacle is at its most striking
(northwest of Calan gianus), a the 1800s. Also nearby are the during the winter months.
series of prehistoric dolmens Oratorio del Rosario and the
is open to visitors. To reach the small Santa Croce church.
site, go through the village in Not far from town are the
the direction of Luogosanto Rinaggiu springs, whose
and then turn right just before mineral water is famous for its
the end of town. At the point beneficial qualities. As well as
where the paved road ends, the traditional festivals, an
take the dirt road on the international folklore festival
right, which takes you to the is held here in July (see p31).
Ladas Dolmen, the most
impressive of them all. It has Environs
a rectangular plan, is roofed A short distance away, on state
with two granite slabs, and is road SS133, is the turning for
6 m (19 ft) long and 2.20 m the Maiori Nuraghe, one of The bed of the mountain stream
(7 ft) wide. the best preserved megalithic near Curadoreddu

Cork and the Handicrafts of Gallura
Cork is obtained from the stripped bark of cork oak trees (Quercus
suber) and has always been a fundamental part of the Gallura regional
economy. The material is used for everyday purposes as well as local
handicrafts. Among kitchen utensils in use are cork spoons and ladles
(such as the s’uppu, a small ladle used to collect water), buckets and
different containers for water and wine, and large serving dishes – called
agiones in dialect – for roasts and other dishes. Today the Tempio Pausania region
produces 90 per cent of the bottle stoppers used in Italy, although the cork is
also used as a building
Strips of cork bark
ready for processing and insulating material.
Cork is very versatile, thanks
to its lightness, resistance to
air and water, its insulating properties and long
life. Cork cannot be stripped from the tree before
it is at least 25–30 years old. The first layer stripped
is porous and elastic and of scant commercial
use. Only nine to ten years after this first barking
process is the true – and profitable – new layer
of cork obtained. The trees are then stripped
every nine to ten years, and the layers
thoroughly seasoned before use. A barked cork oak tree

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