Jerzu is set on a hill overlooking the sea
and is surrounded by a frame of limestone peaks, an ideal
spot for rock-climbing. The climbing area around the village
of Jerzu is certainly one of the most interesting and suggestive
of Sardinia. Despite the fact that the exploitation of the
area started only in 1989 and only a small part has been
discovered, the itineraries and the walls have been climbed
by sportsmen coming from all over Europe. There are as many
as 150 rock climbing routes on the splendid cliffs. Jerzu
is surrounded by a natural frame of peaks, impressive calcareous
towers with typical jagged edges, pikes and naturally embattled
walls that drop perpendicularly.
The largest one is Punta Marongiu peak; 1009 m high, it
can be easily climbed going along the old collapsed parts
of the south-eastern side. From the top the views are impressive,
embracing the whole area as far as the mountains of the
Gennargentu.
These vertical walls, which are surrounded by a halo of
myth for their beauty and difficulty levels, have been climbed
by some of the most famous experts of the sport such as
Marzio Nardi and Manolo.
The area is also well known for the production of one of
the finest Sardinian DOC wines famous the world over: the
Cannonau. The Jerzu cooperative wine store was founded in
1950 and includes over five hundred partners; there the
grapes are gathered and turned into the prestigious wine
that is the essence of the Jerzu wine fair.
Inhabited since the prehistoric age, the Jerzu territory
has preserved many traces of the human presence in the area.
The domus de janas of Su Senili, Uris, Perda Pertunda and
Sa Ibba Illixi date back to third millennium BC, while the
nuraghes of Su Scurius, Sa Domu ‘e s’Orku, Is
Crresinus, S’Ollasteddu belong to the second millennium
BC.
