Carbonia and the great Serbariu mine

In the 1937 report by architect Pulitzer on Carbonia's first urban development plan, he describes where the new town will be built: 'in an area halfway up the coast that slopes gently down towards the Serbariu mine, opening up with a wide view of the plain below and the not too distant Tyrrhenian Sea'.

Work on the Coal City began in the autumn of '37 and ended in the summer of '38, although in reality the final work on the entire town ended in '42. The city, strongly desired by the fascist regime, was born as an industrial, residential and administrative centre in the vicinity of the Great Mine of Serbariu, at the time the largest coal basin in Italy. The intention was to start a powerful coal mining activity, to achieve energy self-sufficiency (coal autarchy) in relation to the international sanctions that followed the regime's invasion of Ethiopia. A cosy, modern, comfortable 'garden' city was built in every respect, so that 'the workers who spend the day in the darkness of the mines would be given the comfort, recreation and rest of a bright and cheerful environment'.

They came to work in the Serbariu mine from all parts of Italy, attracted by the strong need to feed their families. In those years Carbonia was America, the Eldorado, and the common experience of working and living in a town like Carbonia created an unquestionable feeling of belonging, so much so that many, after the mine closed for good, no longer returned to their town, but stayed in Carbonia with their families, creating a community with a strong character.

When you come to visit Carbonia, you will find a renewed and modern city thanks to the 'Carbonia, città del Novecento' (Carbonia, city of the 20th century) project, which since 2001 has enabled the restoration of both the civic buildings and monuments, but also the restoration of the entire site of the Grande Miniera di Serbariu (Great Serbariu Mine). In fact, in 2006, the 'Coal Museum' was inaugurated , making the mining buildings and structures accessible. It is possible to visit the underground gallery, the winch room and the lamp room, where the permanent exhibition on the history of coal, the mine and the town of Carbonia is housed. The large room houses a valuable collection of mine lamps, work tools, instruments, everyday objects, photographs, documents, period films and video interviews with miners.

Bibliography:

1. Degree thesis by Dr. Sabrina Santini, Sapienza University of Rome, A/A 2013/2014: Per una seconda vita delle miniere. Heritage practices in south-western Sardinia;
2. Carbonia: reality for 50 years. By Massimo Carta, Ed. Coop. Grafica Nuorese;
3. It is easy to live well in Sardinia if you know what to do. How to enjoy life on the most beautiful island in the world. By Cristiano and Davide Peddis, Ed. Newton Compton Editori;
4. museodelcarbone.it.

Cover photo: Carbonia - Piazza Roma, by trolvag from Wikimedia Commons