David Siddall

"Acquafredda: story of a castle" is a cultural project aimed at enhancing the Acquafredda Castle, situated in the territory of Siliqua. The exhibition is presented as a hypothetical visit the archaeological site, on 'arrival in the country up to the top of the remains of the castle.

Below the images are repeated in the same order of the show, the captions have been cured by the cooperative Antarias el 'introduction by Dr. Stefano Basciu, Specialist Studies in Sardis, the study of CAD Drawing Center has also made for 'at a wide range of gadgets (t-shirts, postcards, bookmarks, etc.) as well as to disseminate images, even through channels of less elitist' art.

(Click on 'image in the top left corner to start the tour)

(To see the 'Long live Radio interview with David Siddall occasaione in the exhibition click here)

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In particular, the agricultural and pastoral work that takes place all around is characterized by this constant presence of the remains of the keep and the surrounding village. Let's go home ...

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... Coming from the road linking the release of 130 at the country goes through a slightly raised deck, where you can enjoy this' s eye Siliqua that brings us to the Castello di Acquafredda and then to the surrounding mountains ...

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... Before heading to the castle, we seek the tracks in the country and inevitably we are watching the church of San Giorgio. Recent restoration work on the facade have in fact brought to light some bas-reliefs, one of which has been interpreted as a representation by Stefano Basciu Acquafredda Castle in medieval times.

Here is an excerpt from the writings of Dr.. Basciu:
'll Bas-relief on which the castle is the call the complex Acquafredda as was assumed during the period of Pisa. The shield, carved next to the image of the castle, has similarities with two badges, one from the tower of St. Pancras and the other from the palace of Seziate, both attributed to a family of Pisa of the fourteenth century "...

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... Look good in 'at the top right corner of the church and notice the' image shown in this picture. It shows a bas-relief found on the facade. Starting from this image and the relief on the remaining foundations, I realized the reconstruction of the age structure in Pisa. Unlike previous reconstructions, I keep in place the side that faces all 'access to the village. Before today all had been the stronghold on 'the other side, however, thanks to recent excavations, we can clearly see the foundations of the structure. Following the reconstruction of the castle, built for the show ...

... This reconstruction was made after extensive surveys and is based on a careful study of the foundations still present in the archaeological site and a comparison with Stefano Basciu specialist studies in Sardinia, and the children of the cooperative Antarias who guided me in the 'analysis of the remains architecture.
A little 'story of the founding of the castle:
"Since the discovery of a papal bull, dated July 30, 1238, in which Gregory IX provides measures to ensure that necessary measures are taken to put the fortifications in battle of the courts of Torres, Cagliari and Gallura, it is believed that the castle, placed in Curadorìa of Sigerro, existed as early as 1215, but it is widely attributed its construction to the famous noble Pisan Gherardesca Ugolino, Count of Donoratico, since 1257, when it became the Lord of the south - western part of Sardinia after the fall of the Sentence Cagliari. The count was resident in the castle of San glove Iglesias, (now called Salvaterra) and the mighty castle Acquafredda control access to the mining town, rich deposits of silver, zinc and lead, an inexhaustible source of wealth for Pisa. We leave now to get finally are at the castle ...

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... Visitors today 's to arrive at the castle' s Acquafredda was immediately welcomed by a forest of pine and eucalyptus trees, the result of a distracted reforestation of the second half of the 900. Although these two species of trees do not reflect the 'appearance of the site, manage to create a feeling of direct contact with nature and tranquility. From the tops of trees can already see some remnants of 'original walls. Greeted by the usual Antarias sympathy of members of the cooperative, which manages the archaeological site, and in the company of Dr. Stephen Basciu begin with the ascent to the castle ...

... After a few bends, following a slope that becomes increasingly steep, but still not easy, we come across the first wall. Matthew pointed out to me 's access to the elbow and up the steps, specifically designed to discourage any attempt by attackers to break through the door of' input with the rams, machines d 'siege, which required an area of piuttosato long run. Before you pass on our left we see the remains of one of the three towers of the first walls that housed the village ...

... This leaflet discusses the design of a section of the perimeter walls that are near the 'entrance to the elbow, before entering the village. Let's go ..

... The 'inside the village is characterized by a series of half overgrown ruins, although they are periodically removed back again to invade the remains of those who one day were the houses of the inhabitants of the castle. Moses pointed out to me the herringbone construction technique, invented by the Romans and taken up by Pisa. "One technique," he explains, "which was used to build solid structures in a short time, so useful in war time" ...

... The wall is visible in the lower left is the one we've seen before, from here you can see what remains one of the three watchtowers guarding the village. As we move to visit somewhere else, I ask Matt how many people live in the house the castle Acquafredda Pisa period and I am surprised to hear that it was inhabited by a few families, about 80 people. But asked to Stephen Basciu the number of military units are again stunned: 5 warriors in peacetime and in wartime than 15/20, if you think how many thousands of troops landed in Sardinia to Aragon's win seem digits ridiculous! ...

... This design is the wall of an 'other house, unlike the previous one here you can see the holes that were used for the construction ...

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An explanation of the cooperative Antarias boys is much useful to get an 'idea of the construction technique: "The scaffolding used by medieval carpenters were in fact built into the wall that was going to build, it was a building level, the structure rests on the ground and were embedded in the part that was going to build, after which all 'scaffolding was added a floor and so continued throughout the' height of 'building. After construction, the wooden structure was removed, but remained the holes in the wall. Then they covered everything with 'plaster, visible today only in a few points ...

... The best thing is the visual Acquafredda Castle where the views as you climb. Matthew tells me that the whole surrounding area was, in medieval times, covered by dense forests, rich with game. When Sardinia passed under the dominion of the Piedmont they took from 'island' s large amount of wood that was used to meet the needs of most of the kingdom, clearing vast areas so ...

... Here 's eye on the landscape is truly spectacular. We are in the tower tank, a fortified tower in which he was one of the tanks of the castle, each level had at least one ...

This technique was called the "sack" because the walls, made of clay brick, were filled with waste material and lime. Stefano Basciu us to note how well the worked surface of the bricks, this indicates that the wall was plastered, but at sight. The structure and aesthetic focus, we believe that this building was originally a church, add that behind the party was probably the 'apse were found the bodies of some people buried in the fifteenth and sixteenth century (in fact thread the late eighteenth century it was common to build the cemetery behind the church). Just below us is one of the four tanks that guaranteed substantial autonomy to the castle. Hours from the village dates back to the second level: the tower tank ...

Moses pointed out to me ... the loophole called "bins." Meanwhile, Matt tells me that each level was autonomous and independent from the others, each had its own tank and addiritura part arable, in short, the castle was impregnable, and even if the enemy had won the first level (the town we just visited), the inhabitants were attacked from behind the attackers. In addition, the castle, in case of siege, was supplied by the nearby river Cixerri. Perhaps these aspects of course the small number of warriors that had so surprised me before ...

... The battlements of a castle is not to be neglected, because in most cases it shows us what role the lord of the fortress svolgesse in the political games of the time. The blackbird on the right indicates loyalty to the lord emperor ', it is said ghibellino blackbird, one on the left indicates loyalty to the pope, therefore, said Guelph blackbird. The castle has Acquafredda latter 's type, surely the result of an intervention Aragon as Pisa was tenaciously and Ghibellines Ugolino had the same coat of arms in the' imperial eagle. Do not forget that the Aragonese got 'the official authorization "to invade Sardinia by Boniface VIII ...

... Before continuing to rise, we enjoy the panoramic view of the surrounding landscape, which in my many visits to the castle I had occasion to admire the sunset. On the right, up is already apparent in the keep, the heart of the whole castle ...

... We rested enough! We continue to the keep. The visitors will notice here and there, covered by vegetation, the remains of defensive walls, which walked around the perimeter of the castle, where it was naturally protected by cliffs and ravines ...

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... After a short steep climb and we are all 'inside of the tower, one side is collapsed and therefore allows us to peek into the original structure of the tank ...

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... One of the walls which formed the residence of the lord, and when I stopped, the accounts of Gherardesca. With this view a bit 'romantic, go down again to the point where we started, discussing among ourselves what the archaeological and historical heritage of Sardinia are little valued, they are in fact few people, like members of the cooperative Antarias, decide the many difficulties involved in trying to promote our cultural heritage ...

 

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In conclusion ... I feel duty-bound to show the Stamm arms of Count Ugolino della Gherardesca, one of the characters more deeply rooted in the collective memory of the area. Moses explains to me the 'origin of the symbols of this emblem: "In the left quadrant we see half of the' imperial eagle. In the upper right quadrant we see the color red refers to the town of Pisa in the lower one is the silver color which probably refers to the silver mines of the Iglesiente ...

 

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... Take any more of your patience to take you to 'open the exhibition in which they are submitted images that have just seen. Here we are still under construction, but some visitors already come ...

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Start ... 's inauguration with the opening speech of the Mayor of Siliqua Piergiorgio Lixia; Coroneo Roberto on the left, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities of the' University of Cagliari; to 'extreme left Pitzalis Matteo, president of the cooperative Antarias, that Moses Pusch accompanied us in our virtual visit to the castle on the right I am, David Siddle, author of the pictures ...

... Intervention of Dr. Stefano Basciu, Specialist Studies in Sardis. Dr. Basciu was responsible for showing the historical presentation of the archaeological site of Acquafredda, carefully reviewing all the historical eras to the present day ...