Calangianus and the Gallura Region
The Historical Region of Gallura
Gallura (Gaddùra) occupies the northeastern tip of Sardinia, bounded by Mount Limbara, the
Coghinas River, and Mount Nieddu. Historically one of the four medieval Giudicati, its modern
economy revolves around cork processing, granite extraction, and Vermentino wine.
Overview of Calangianus
Calangianus (Calanzanus in Sardinian, Caragnani in Gallurese) sits on a granite plateau sloping
from Mount Limbara toward the Liscia basin. World-renowned as the “Capital of Cork,” it ranks
among Italy’s key industrial centers for cork extraction and manufacturing. Its economy balances
cork processing with granite quarrying, livestock, and viticulture.
Origins & History: The name stems from pre-Roman terms or Latin personal names (Calinius).
Settled since 2000 BC, the area belonged to the Giudicato of Gallura under the Gemini Jusso
curatoria during the Middle Ages. The town’s industrial growth began in the early 19th century
when French entrepreneurs established modern cork processing facilities in local oak forests.
Key Sites & Cultural Highlights:
• Cork Museum (Museo del Sughero): Housed in the restored 18th-century Franciscan
Capuchin Convent, displaying historical machinery and multimedia exhibits covering cork
harvesting and bottle-stopper production.
• Parish Church of Santa Giusta: A 16th-century granite church renovated in 1736 and 1896.
It features an 1896 interior with frescoes by Antonio Dovera, a marble altar flanked by green
marble lions, and a square bell tower.
• Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art: Located inside the 17th-century Oratory of Nostra
Signora del Rosario, exhibiting 16th- to 18th-century liturgical silver, vestments, and religious
paintings.
• Pascareddha Giant’s Tomb: A well-preserved granite megalithic tomb at the foot of Monte di
Deu, featuring a 12.5-meter burial chamber covered by flat stone slabs and a 18-meter-wide
stone exedra.
• Agnu Corridor Nuraghe: An horseshoe-shaped granite protonuraghe built against a natural
rock face, featuring a linteled entrance, an internal tholos cell, an 11-meter rock tunnel, and a
staircase leading to an upper terrace.
• Li Paladini Sacred Spring: An active granite Nuragic water shrine on Monte di Deu featuring
a trapezoidal entrance and a semi-domed stone chamber.