Territory
Valledoria is nestled comfortably in a valley which extends from the thermal part of the river Coghinas to the characteristic river mouth, which – at least historically – builds the last frontier of Sassari in relating to the neighboring region Gallura.
The name Valledoria (Valley of Doria – explanation historical: Family D’Oria; a genovesic royal house of the 12th century, which lived in Sardinia and historically played an important role in our region) represents the conventional synthesis. named so by the founders of a new autonomous municipality, created in 1960 by the merger of the areas: Codaruina, Santa Maria Coghinas, (formerly Comune Sedini) La Muddizza, La Ciaccia (formerly Comune Castelsardo) but since 1983 chose Santa Maria Coghinas also the regulatory autonomy and therefore Valledoria is now only of the three areas: Codaruina, La Muddizza and La Ciaccia.
The area is divided into a first coastline which is characterized by sandy beach and the dunes behind, although if they are sandy and covered with Mediterranean vegetation, mixed forest of pine and Eucalyptus (80% of these area is covered with the characteristic Pinetta / pine and eucalyptus forest), it still consists of a flat area with deep, irrigable soils, which are outstandingly suitable for agriculture, as well as having an equally important vocation as host for urban settlements. The rest of the quater is a hilly area – less valuable for agriculture because it can not be irrigated – but acting as an attractive residential area, which essentially extends in the triangle between the river Cugiani and the villages La Ciaccia and La Muddizza.
ltogether, it is a small area – disputed between the production needs of traditional agriculture and the increasing development of tourism; a section, who cries silently for his mission, to play a decisive role in the constitution of the city-region; indispensable to ensure effective competition in economic market of the island – national and international – . Its location on the north coast of Sardinia is located almost exactly in the center, equidistant from Stintino and Santa Teresa di Gallura, as well as of the Asinara Island and the islands of La Maddalena and also, the distance is almost equal between the two main tourist towns of Northern Sardinia: Olbia and Alghero
The orographic / geographical structure of the area – almost entirely flat * – facilitates the natural vocation for economic development in agriculture with their esteemed vegetable production, as well as the demographic expansion / population growth, which is accompanied by the recent phenomenon: the tourist development, (except for some small hill between the villages of La Muddizza and La Ciaccia – almost seems as if they were often tortured by the continuity of defiance of the nearby sea and the strong Mistral wind, which sometimes ruffles the surface of this, in imposing and threatening waves).
Together with the territories of Castelsardo, Santa Maria, Coghinas, Viddalba and Badesi, Valledoria is an area of unrepeatable / unique variety of resources and natural beauties: scenic, monumental, archaeological, thermal; open and expansive beaches, rocks of various types and color (on the horizon, on the eastern side, you can admire the splendor of the characteristic ‘rock’ of Isola Rossa).
Valledoria appears, at first glance, as the center of a region, which would have begun his life story only a few decades ago; but in reality the research of scientists have opened the gates, for the discovery of human settlements as the carrier of important civilization in remote times. One can go back to the depths of the stories and myths to recollect that the popular belief appears neither unusual nor peculiarly, which lets recognize the small lake of hot sulphur springs from Casteldoria, and which now belongs to the region of the new small town Santa Maria Coghinas, the place to the underworld, where Homer let reach Odysseus, after he was taken from the extensive flow of the Flumen, than he went through the schedule part, what is still practical with small boats.
The discovered artifacts, can prove with certainty that the area – from the hilly area of La Muddizza (Mountain Usoni) on – was interesting for human settlement, and later for expanding their targets on the lower levels, the ascent from the bottom.
he important agrarien production, particularly the cultuvation of grain, plus the easy access to the sea and the possibiliti to reach the hinterland alongside the navigable river tract (for loading the products directly on the production plant), was helping to dictate the commercial skills of Emporion (or, as it seems, the Greek term, Emporion was originally called, place of trade) So this seems to confirm that the area of the mouth of the river Coghinas, could might has been formed a real integrated port system, with landing stages without Pier and with the progress of the inland waterways, probably up to two branch ports of call, on both banks of the river, in accordance with Villalba and Cocina.
The ports of call, may have been in the area Zilvara and Santa Maria Maddalena; as well as probably the integrated system of the commercial port, was also able to dispose comfortable warehouses at the estuary of Flumen, on the place where today the church ‘San Pietro a Mare’ is. The existence of a flourishing civilization, – already dated to the first millennium, which in the early days of the second millenium had reached its peak, only for then to disappear inexorable, immediately after the first half of the second millennium – is confirmed by the attention that it has given the Church in this area. Emporion is in fact one of the first and most important examples of strengthening organizational mechanisms in the same church in Sardinia; was definitely one of the first bishop’s see on the northern island, and increased in force, until it involved the diocese of the city (Olbia), edifying a unitary diocese for the whole area of the corner and the region Gallura (1506), with the same boundary of the current Diocese of Tempio-Ampurias. There is no certain knowledge about the locations of the most important places for ceremonial gatherings, as long as there are not available sufficiently adequate responses of archaeological research, but some relevant evidence left the belief, that the Basilica might have been located inside of the area Foce – the current Pineta of San Pietro -. In the same era, the policy was finding the way, effectively to take office in these area: you can remind the importance of Trustees of this corner and the Marquis de Cocina, who should had have its headquarters in Cocina (today’s Santa Maria Coghinas). Paradoxically, was this period of prosperity also the beginning of the relentless and devastating decline of Ampurias and the valley on the Coghinas: the Spanish conquest and the displacement of the power – center to Ozieri, the colonisation of Doria in Castelgenoves, the relocation of the diocese in the same center (1508) dictated the further development, but the rapid decline of Emporios and the dismantlement of the rational and efficient system – which made rich and powerful -, the Saracens – attacks, the progressive depletion of the defensive forces, malaria and the total depopulation / desolation dictated its demise; at the end of the year 1500 ended also the phase of the Cocina – decadence, partly as a result of an epidemic of plague/pest.
The colonisation of this area moved more into the inland, first in small settlements, which have been rebuilted out of the many Roman villas in good states of preservation, and than for centralise into one of the most populous cities: Sedini,whose interests were mainly to the trade and economic relations, in general, with the nearby center of Nulvi.
One must go back a few centuries, as a number of agricultural entrepreneurs from the hinterland – mainly originated from Sedini, Castelsardo and the Gallura (Aggius) – as they tryed to revive the exploited, but still fertile territory and to life in the valley. Despite the connection – difficulties by the absolute lack of roads and the presence of the hostage of severe malaria, which detracted the increase, although predictable and inevitable for the area, nevertheless some families captured the immediate region around the mouth of the river Coghinas, which became a small village, named: Codaruina.
Only after the Second World War, the extinction of malaria, the start of important work for the land reclamation / Agriculture and the realization of a first network of acceptable communication, the development adopted rhythms and proportions, which were better suited to take advantage of the region’s potential; it had resumed the cultivation of grain and the stock farming, which helped to this valley, to take over the leadership role of production and the central node in the marketing of agricultural products.
The installation of the important hydraulic engineering and the services of a water distribution network of the service provider for irrigation, guaranteed the launch of thehorticultural sector, which reflects the valley in the construction of a much brighter future, as the luster of the past; one’s again the focus of the development: one came to the Flumen to see the ancient Emporion, the old Ampurias, the Codaruina of now, the future Valledoria; but, finally and ultimately always to the old, happy, fruitful – and even partially seething – river; to see Father ‘Coghinas’.
Origin text from the book: ‘Isole Gemelle – Îles Jumelles, AA.VV.’ ed. La Grafica, Porto Torres 2004 pp. 97-105 a cura di Goffredo Mameli www.lionscastelsardo.it
Valledoria: the sea
The coast, which extends over 3,500 meters, is largely influenced by a wide, soft, sandy beach, which lies integrated between two rocky sections of the areas Maragnani (sandstone) and La Ciaccia (limestone), which in turns to highlights the natural beauty of this area.
On the beach of Valledoria and to the mouth of the river Coghinas – and with a brightly wink – on the eastern part of the Gulf of Asinara, looks down the rock of Castelsardo with his genovesic Castel, which on his own way, stays dominant opposite to the structure of the city, majastically perched on the short but steep hillside of the Rock. The contrasting juxtaposition of these two cultural landscapes seems to want to remember and to immortalise the symbiotic integration of two strips of land, which can not help but, than to complement one another; the precision of historical and architectural magnificence of granite on the one hand & the vitality of new perspectives on the other hand.
The economic, social, historical, and not least the tourist fortune, is deeply and inextricably linked to the availability of the precious water in all its forms and characteristics, in which it is able to present itself and to offer the benefit of the people and the fertility of the earth.
Water can allay the thirst, purge, irrigate, fertilize, …. destroy; can create the wonderful variety of history and colors, of temperatures and effects (good & bad) , it can create poignant suggestions and terrible horrors, it is also the major component of the human body; presents paradisiacal visions of small colorful lakes and hot and healing ponds, Reservoirs built by the industrial hand of human, to produce energy with the same water – which sometimes – devastets the plane by floods with sudden destruction and in inregulated courses; polluted the magnificent sea at the river mouth, ensures serious confusion, even if only for a short time the natural gorgeous colors, good and bad; Prosperity and destruction; water is capable to all of this.
The area of Valledoria and the valley in which it arose, is one with the water: river and sea, producing area, energy and tourism, beauty and pollution, malaria and healthfulness have created this story; the difficulties and the fortune of this area. To enjoy all this is easy it needs only a bit of time to devote oneself to his observation and hearing his sounds and his silence and also some of the ability to forget the bustle of the modern life for indulge in this charm.
From the book ‘Isole Gemelle – Îles Jumelles, AA.VV.’ ed. La Grafica, Porto Torres 2004, pp. 97-105 a cura di Goffredo Mameli www.lionscastelsardo.it
Places to visit around
The International Camping Valledoria suggest to visit
Valledoria (distance: 3 Km), Sedini (distance: 6 Km), Castelsardo (distance: 7 Km), Badesi (distance: 8 Km), Santa Maria Coghinas (distance: 9 Km), Perfugas (distance: 13 Km), Trinita d’Agultu e Vignola (distance: 14 Km), Costa Paradiso (distance: 20 Km), Aggius (distance: 23 Km) e Tempio Pausania (distance: 27 Km).
A journey sailing on an emerald sea among small and big coves with snow-white sand and this is Sardinia, an Island that strikes its visitors with natural contrasts, the lights and colours of a region that guards old traditions, amid wilderness and pure nature. Situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia is a mainly mountainous region, without high peaks, with a vast and charming, yet bittersweet, natural environment. In fact, the presence of man does not seem to affect this territory; great surfaces still preserve their natural composition, luxuriant woods with even millenary trees, small desert areas and marshes inhabited by deer, wild horses and rapacious birds. The sea reigns over this region with its colours and it creeps into the coves, along the coasts, the beaches and the most popular resorts. An example is the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) with its pearl, Porto Cervo, that combines the history and culture of a region that has old traditions with a joyful and colourful nightlife. Porto Cervo was named after its enchanting cove, which looks like the antlers of a deer; the Old Port is considered the best-equipped tourist port in the Mediterranean Sea. Porto Rotondo is also a famous location; it overlooks the wide Gulf of Cugnana and is full of villas and piazzas embedded in a splendid natural environment. Those who prefer the mountain to the sea can explore the area of Gennargentu, the greatest mountain range in Sardinia, with its peculiar landscape, where Man and Nature joined one another and decided that the latter should have the priority. This region is rich in flora and fauna, with its mouflons, golden eagles, Sardinian deer and several species that are now threatened with extinction. Among its wonders, Sardinia offers the visitor the Nuragic complexes scattered all over the territory. These are unique monuments in the world that testify an ancient culture, that remains partly mysterious, and that went from the fifteenth century to the sixteenth BC. The Nuragic constructions were built using great blocks of stone and develop around a central cone-shaped tower that transmits strength and power. These are archaeological sites where it is possible to grasp the archaic charm of ancient rituals and domestic life. Of these many constructions, the complex of Barumini, in the province of Cagliari, is among the sites in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The provinces of the region are: Cagliari (regional capital), Carbonia-Iglesias, Nuoro, Olbia-Tempio, Oristano, Medio Campidano, Sassari and Ogliastra.