Pau: Obsidian, Churches and Trails on Monte Arci

Pau offers several distinct points of interest to help you plan your trip: obsidian working, churches with different architectural histories, and trails on Monte Arci. There is also a religious tradition and a local ingredient. If you are looking for a hotel in Pau, these topics can help you match the character of the destination to your travel interests.

Obsidian as a theme in the museum and landscape

The Museo dell’Ossidiana di Pau is the only museum in Sardinia and Europe dedicated to obsidian. Educational workshops at the Museo dell’Ossidiana “Carlo Lugliè” are aimed at families and people of all ages. After you get in touch, the museum also arranges educational trips and visits for groups or families; tickets can be purchased for these. Contact the museum in advance if you are planning a visit, to clarify the details for your date.

The landscape and archaeological connections are also linked to the material. The Parco dell’Ossidiana is located in Area No. 1 of the Monte Arci Historical and Environmental Geomining Park. The obsidian-working workshops in the Pau area are currently considered the best-documented centers for working the material close to its places of origin. One specific historical point of reference is the Sennixeddu workshop: it was identified in 1956 as a prehistoric obsidian-working site. The black trail of Scaba Crobina is characterized by extensive gravel deposits and old remains of obsidian working.

Churches and local traditions

The churches have their own historical and architectural features. San Giorgio was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century over the collapsed 17th-century Gothic church. At Santa Prisca, a rural church in the locality of Argioleddas in the Pau area, a different architectural detail can be observed: the three naves are reflected in the three openings of the entrance portico. The historical features therefore differ: at San Giorgio, the sequence of two church buildings; at Santa Prisca, the interplay between the interior and the portico.

A religious tradition is associated with an image of the Black Madonna of Oropa. It stands near the Giuanni Corrias pine forest. Believers place large obsidian flakes in the image as a sign of their faith and gratitude. In Pau, obsidian is thus encountered not only as a material to be worked, but also in a religious context.

Trails on Monte Arci and local cuisine

The trails of “Un Bosco da Fiaba” are considered easy to walk and suitable for all ages. They run in the shade of holm oaks and cork oaks on the eastern slope of the volcanic Monte Arci massif. Here, the forest and the hillside setting take center stage, while the town’s archaeological connections draw attention to obsidian working. These different themes can help you weigh up which interests matter most for your trip to Pau.

A local ingredient is also part of the town’s character: pipadra are dried tomatoes preserved in oil, used as an ingredient in some dishes in Pau.

Discover more destinations: Paulilatino, Cuglieri, Montresta, Abbasanta, Uras, Terralba, Tramatza, Marrubiu

For the broader travel overview: Oristano.