It includes freshwater aquariums (Bellarosa minore and Perdalonga), saltwater (Bellarosa maggiore or Molentargius and Quartu pond) and a sandy plain (Is Arenas).
Molentargius Regional Nature Park - Saline is located in southern Sardinia near Cagliari and Quartu Sant'Elena, two of the island's largest cities.
It owes its name to the means used in the past to transport salt collected in its basins: su molenti, which means donkeys in Sardinia.
In fact, the region has for centuries represented the richest basin in Sardinia to extract salt from sea water.
The main features that make it a unique ecosystem in the world are its close proximity to two of the main cities of Sardinia, Cagliari and Quartu Sant'Elena, and the presence of areas of different salinity favoring a rich variety of plant and animal species, including pink flamingo which first intervened here in 1993 This uniqueness can be seen from the summit of Monte Urbino, S. Elia and Sella del Diavolo, the hills that dominate the city and overlook the pond, which can be seen from the ecosystem as in the big picture.
The Molentargius pond is part of the system of ponds and lakes formed in the Campidano Plain from 75,000 to 18,000 years, and is born in an almost circular depression of sandy sediments. The retro-nature Quartu Pond was formed to the south, separated from the Is Arenas land strip and near Poetto Beach. In the past, summer drying was a natural salt container and man's interest in salt was the driving force of the history of this ecosystem. Bellarosa Minore and Perdalonga were born, instead, as basins for the expansion of meteorological waters.
Located at the entrance to Cagliari, Sali Scelti is originally a salt depot and an example of Liberty's industrial architecture. Dating back to the 1930s and now completely renovated, it is home to the Molentargius Saline Regional Natural Park, featuring conference rooms, galleries, galleries and offices.
