Pozzo Sacro di Sa Testa

Olbia, Italy

One of the Gallura area’s most characteristic Nuragic landmarks is a sacred well where water worship rituals were performed. Pozzo Sacro di Sa Testa (The Holy Well of Sa Testa). It dates to between 15th and 13th centuries BCE and sits just outside of the town of Olbia. It is just under 18 metres long and made of granite, trachyte and schist cut into blocks that were then carefully finished. The external part is reminiscent of a door and symbolizes the gateway that separates the world of the dead from that of the living. The shrine has a circular courtyard, a vestibule, a small hallway between the courtyard and the well, and steps that lead down to the water at the bottom.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

Olbia, Italy
See all sites in Olbia

Details

Founded: 1400-1200 BCE
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Italy

More Information

www.sardegnaturismo.it

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Americana Monki (5 years ago)
A somewhat minor ancient attraction with a major supermarket located next to it. The walk from the parking is short with some adorably gardened and marked vegetation located all along the way. A perfect place to find out how the Rosemary is different from an Olive tree or show your children how to do so
Sandra Giles (5 years ago)
A sacred space to stop and meditate
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Bengtskär Lighthouse

Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.

German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.

After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.