Guspini, Montevecchio Mine, Piccalinna trail

The Piccalinna mine, discovered in 1874, covers about 370 hectares. Initially given in concession to the Italian-French company Nouvelle Arboree, it was, in 1897, considering that the mining sector had run out, it was sold to the Montevecchio Company, former concession holder of the Sant'Antonio a Levante, Sanna, Telle and Casargiu a Ponente areas.
A careful policy of general reorganization of the construction site, on the other hand, allowed the resumption of mining activities at full capacity until 1981, when a failure in the pumps for the removal of water from the subsoil, too expensive to repair, marked the end.
In the square of Piccalinna, a series of buildings, all with exposed stone walls, brick decorations and a certain architectural refinement, constitute what in the past was the operational core of this mining yard. Other semi-destroyed buildings can be seen among the vegetation. These are homes for bachelor workers, a complex of seven buildings built around the forties of the twentieth century, and the two structures that were first built on the construction site towards the end of the 19th century at the same time as the heading of the San Giovanni well.
On the opposite side, perched on the hill overlooking the construction site, you can see a lovely plastered building built in the early twentieth century. Softened by marcapiani, pilasters and exposed stone door and window frames, it was formerly an accommodation for foremen.
The San Giovanni well and the lamp shop, the winch room and the compressor room (made of exposed basalt stone and various brick elements towards the end of the 19th century), the electric cabin, the Piccalinna washing machine, the offices and the forge are the essential elements of the mining complex.
Inside the winch room (the type with reels with flat ropes) there is still the impressive extraction machine, initially steam powered and electrified around the 1930s, positioned on the axis of the well, which was used to move the cages. The compressor room housed the machines for the production of compressed air introduced into the mine for the extraction of water from the subsoil and, later, also used to power the washing machine and to operate the drills and other machines used underground or on the surface.

Why it is important to visit it
The presence of the original machinery allows the visitor to appreciate the technological achievements of the time: the impressive extraction machine, with its 120 horsepower, which allowed the extraction of 20 cubic meters of material per hour, represents a unique example in the world for mining archeology; its state of preservation would still allow it to operate today.

Tag

Structure category: industrial archeology

Content type: Sites or plants

Usability: Open

Province: Sud Sardegna

Common: Guspini

Macro Territorial Area: South Sardinia

POSTAL CODE: 09036

Address: Piazzale Piccalinna, località Montevecchio

Telephone: +39 070 9760215 +39 338 4592082

E-mail: info@minieradimontevecchio.it

Website: www.minieradimontevecchio.it/piccalinna-montevecchio.html

Facebook: www.facebook.com/minieramontevecchio

Instagram: www.instagram.com/minieramontevecchio

Information on tickets and access: For always updated information on all visiting hours and to view other cumulative ticket offers on multiple tour routes, it is advisable to consult the manager's official website. Online reservations can be made at the following link. The tours are guided by G.T. regularly registered in the regional register, access to the routes independently is not allowed. The Management Journey has an average duration of 30 minutes. The infopoint/ticket office is located in the village of Montevecchio, in front of the management building. Not all areas of the route are accessible to people with reduced mobility. Pets are allowed in the management route, hoping for maximum respect for property and other people visiting. Information on departure times: The departure times of the various guided tours allow them to be carried out in succession, for example starting at 10:15 with the Tour Direction, you can participate in all the other morning tours ending your experience at 14:15. Force majeure may cause the daily schedule of visits to vary. For the departures of guided tours, towards the various routes, contact the Infopoint of the village of Montevecchio in Piazza Rolandi, 2. Guided tours are also available in English, French, German and Spanish. The duration of the visit of a route of your choice is approximately 45 min.; of two routes of your choice approximately 90 min.; of three routes of your choice approximately 135 min.; of four routes of your choice approximately 180 min. There are five structured routes: Palazzo della Direzione, Piccalinna, Officine, Sant'Antonio, Galleria Anglosarda.

Access mode: For a fee

Tickets :

Integer : 5 €, grownups, Piccalinna route .

Reduced : 3.5 €, groups over 20 people, children from 7 to 12 years old, adults over 65 years old, Piccalinna route .

Freeware : 0 €, minors from 0 to 6 years old, all routes .

Services information: Guided tours will always be available in ITA and ENG (except in rare cases of exceptional influx). Guided tours in other languages (FRA-DEU-ESP) will be available upon prior request or subject to daily availability.

Update

22/4/2024 - 20:07

Services

Teaching room