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:

Dec 14, 2025Tufted titmouse
Jan 19, 2024Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Mar 31, 2025Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
Jan 11, 2026Blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco
Feb 14, 2025Magellanic penguins
Oct 26, 2025Pumpkin farm, North Carolina
Apr 7, 2024North American beaver, Denali National Park, Alaska, USA
Sep 11, 2023Sunrise at a vineyard in Bordeaux, France
Jan 10, 2026The Matterhorn reflected in Lake Stellisee at sunrise, Zermatt, Switzerland
Oct 8, 2023Veined octopus
Jan 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument, California, United States
Oct 29, 2023Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Dec 21, 2024Ore Mountains, Saxony, Germany
Dec 3, 2023Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona, USA
May 30, 2024Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Oct 23, 2024Madame Sherri Forest, New Hampshire, United States
Jan 8, 2026Yellow-chevroned parakeets
Feb 4, 2025Golden Bridge, Bà Nà Hills, Da Nang, Vietnam
Feb 9, 2024Pegadung Rock, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
Dec 9, 2023Guanacos, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Jan 20, 2024Macaroni penguins
Oct 29, 2024Great horned owl
Jan 18, 2026White Sands National Park, New Mexico, United States
Jan 31, 2025Plains zebras, South Africa
Jun 21, 2024Reticulated giraffes
Oct 4, 2024World Space Week
Mar 24, 2024Silvereyes, South Korea
Jun 26, 2024Banggai cardinalfish
Jan 27, 2024Spot-billed toucanet, Brazil