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Sardegna

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Vivere la campagna

The Giara of Gesturi

Small horses of the Giara

This worldwide known plateau owes its fame to the ‘small horses of Giara’, an autochtonous Sardinian breed, resulting from a crossbreeding between a horse and a pony; they can reach 1.20 m at the withers. The small horses live in the wild state, perfectly integrated in their environment, consisting of a thriving vegetation of ilex groves and cork oaks, typical Mediterranean maquis and a number of botanical species.
In the past, the area was probably defended by twenty-three nuraghi, including the Nuragic settlement called ‘Brunku Màdugui’, where the homonymous fortress (also called ‘Bruncu Madili’) is considered among the most ancient ones in the whole Island.

A walk about the highlands will show several sheepfolds, recently restored; they are normally built in a conical shape, with stone foundation and a thatched roof.
An appreciated mushroom variety named pletorius grows in this territory, among a wide-ranging diversity of wild flowers.
The spring of drinkable water called ‘Mitza ‘e Santa Vittoria’ is another natural beauty, where the ruins of a small church dedicated to the Saint confirm the ancient frequentation of the site.