Su Mannau Cave
Fluminimaggiore - Sardegna
0 km
extension of the complex
0 m
tourist route
0 °C
average temperature
0 m
duration of the visit
Info
The Su Mannau Cave is located in the municipality of Fluminimaggiore (CI), just a few kilometers from the Costa Verde. It extends for nearly 9 kilometers within Cambrian limestone dating back approximately 540 million years. It was formed by two small rivers that create a spring of about 60 liters per second.
Large and impressive halls alternate with beautiful hanging lakes. Among the most beautiful rooms are the Hall of Sleep, featuring imposing columns and a fantastic lake, and the Hall of Pisoliti, adorned with stunning aragonite formations and thousands of cave pearls. The White Hall and the Virgin Hall, located almost two kilometers deep, are rich in pristine white aragonite and magnificent draperies. The cave also features some complicated siphons that must be crossed, leading to further spectacular branches, such as the Hall of the Fir Trees and the Bizarre Hall.
This cavity is about 15 million years old, and its various superimposed branches highlight its different evolutionary phases. At various points, the levels connect through imposing collapse halls (the Rodriguez Hall on the left and the Ribaldone Hall along the right branch). The cave is fed by the Placido River on the left and the Rapido River on the right.
The cave is well-known in the speleological community due to the spectacular nature of its chambers and formations, making it a frequent destination for many speleologists from both Italy and the rest of Europe. A part of the cave is now equipped for tourism, allowing access to approximately 500 meters of development between the archaeological hall and part of the left branch.
Guided Tours
The Tourist Branch of the Su Mannau Cave begins at the Archaeological Hall, a rare underground temple dedicated to the Mother Goddess, symbolized by the presence of a small lake. This hall features areas rich in votive lamps of various designs, which testify to its sacred use from the Nuragic period through the Punic and into the Late Roman era.
Through a partially artificial opening, visitors access the true cave with the imposing Central Hall. A large walkway allows passage towards the Laco degli Stenasellus (an endemic isopod of the cave). Continuing through impressive formations and small waterfalls, visitors reach the Puddu Gallery drapery.
The tourist path continues through the fossil gallery, from where visitors start to descend towards the Rodriguez Well. A large viewpoint situated 20 meters high overlooks the Rodriguez Hall, which is accessed via a beautiful staircase leading first towards the left branch and then down to the base of the Rodriguez Hall.
The visit lasts approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes and is naturally guided. In the future, a new section is planned to extend towards the Placido River for 350 meters, reconnecting to the Central Hall near the entrance. With the completion of this loop, visitors will be able to witness all the evolutionary phases of the cave, from the high fossil branches to the current sections where the river flows, representing a temporal span of at least 10-15 million years. The cave is easily accessible for both children and the elderly.
-
Other Caves in Sardinia
