PORTO FLAVIA

Mining in Masua began in the mid-19th century. The subsoil was rich in lead and zinc and mining was going well. By the end of the century, 700 people were working here. A mining village developed on the surrounding hills, including a school, a hospital, stores and a church. Masua had one major problem in its configuration: the absence of a port that allowed large ships to dock. Small sailing boats were loaded by hand and then set sail for Carloforte. In 1922, the engineer Cesare Vecelli saw the end of the tunnel. He had two superimposed galleries dug into the cliff, down to the sea. The upper gallery housed silos that could store 10,000 tons of ore. The lower gallery was equipped with a conveyor belt that carried the ore to a crane that loaded the cargo into the freighters. Now the ships supplying the European smelters can come directly to the source. The really fascinating visit, which lasts an hour, takes place along an underground path of 600 m that leads straight to the cliff, offering a breathtaking view of the rock Pan di Zucchero and the azure sea. Breathtaking! Mining history buffs will continue to the village by visiting the Museum of Machines, which exhibits some 60 metal monsters as well as specialized tools and equipment. Porto Flavia is a tribute to human genius, that of the engineer Vecelli, and not to the fascist period.