Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy May 14, 2025

Most ports rely on docks and cranes that extend into the shoreline. Porto Flavia in the Sulcis-Iglesiente region, however, took a completely different approach. This engineering marvel transformed a cliff into a gateway for Sardinia"s ore industry. Mining in Sulcis-Iglesiente has a history dating back thousands of years, from the Phoenicians and Romans to the industrial boom in the 20th century. Lead, zinc, coal, sulphur, barium and silver were extracted from these rugged hills, but transporting them was a logistical nightmare. Ore had to be hauled by cart, loaded onto small boats and then transferred to larger ships—a slow, costly and inefficient process.

© Marco Bottigelli/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

May 14, 2024Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico, USA

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 7, 2024Roques de Benet, Catalonia, Spain
Jul 8, 2025Seceda, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy
Dec 24, 2024Half-timbered Houses of Freudenberg, Germany
Dec 1, 2024Icebergs, Antarctica
Dec 11, 2023Huangshan Mountains, China
Nov 1, 2024Vineyards in Varnhalt, Black Forest, Germany
Dec 23, 2023Chinstrap penguins
Dec 19, 2024Sibiu Christmas Market, Romania
Oct 2, 2023Verdon Gorge, France
Jun 6, 2024Greater flamingos at Pont de Gau Ornithological Park, Camargue, France
Dec 16, 2025Medieval Aqueduct, Perugia, Italy
Jan 10, 2025Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
Apr 25, 2024Adélie penguins, Antarctica
Feb 25, 2025Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, United States
Sep 9, 2024Iguazu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil
Sep 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle
Jul 23, 2025Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Jun 20, 2024Kokino, North Macedonia
Nov 6, 2024Shi Shi Beach in Olympic National Park, Washington, USA
Sep 27, 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
Mar 31, 2025Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
Mar 9, 2025St Marks Clock Tower, Venice, Italy
Jul 20, 2024The Moon
Nov 23, 2024Spiral aloe, Kangaroo Island, Australia
Oct 18, 2025Silbury Hill, Wiltshire, England
Oct 14, 2023Ring of fire solar eclipse
Apr 6, 2024Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Apr 21, 2026European hedgehog, France
Jan 4, 2024Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
Feb 23, 2024Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia