PELAU/JERZU

The municipality of Jerzu extends over a predominantly hilly area; the southern part is characterized by the wide valley of the Rio Quirra, which originates in Genna de Cresia and then flows south. The entire area is cultivated, especially with vineyards on the valley floor, alternating with olive groves, especially on the right side. To the east of the valley, the terrain becomes steeper, with the slopes of Monte Ferru, whose peak, in the municipality of Tertenia, exceeds 800 meters above sea level. North of this massif extends the Pelau valley, a rich countryside cultivated with vineyards and orchards. The Pelau river here marks the northern border with the municipality of Gairo, while upstream, the same river is known as the Rio Pardu. The town lies in the deep valley of the Rio Pardu, at an altitude of 450 meters, overlooked by the magnificent Ogliastra "tacchi" (rock formations) and offering excellent panoramic views. The "tacchi" (rocky hills) that dominate the town are called Porcu de Ludu (780 m) and Troiscu (849 m). It then follows the rugged profile of Mount Tisiddu, entirely within the municipality of Ulassai, to the north. The Jerzu-Perdasdefogu provincial road passes through the most panoramic point in the area: the road winds for several kilometers among the "tacchi" (rocky hills), in a steppe-like and almost primordial landscape, until it passes Punta Corongiu, which, at 1,009 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in the Jerzu area. Among the "tacchi" (rocky hills) stands the country church of Sant'Antonio, the site of the festival of the same name, one of the town's most important celebrations. The municipality of Jerzu also includes an exclave, in the territory of Quirra, on the border with the Province of South Sardinia; The hamlet occupies part of the wide valley floor of the Rio Quirra, cultivated with vineyards, plus a large section upstream, on the right slope, along the narrow, wooded valley of the Rio San Giorgio (Santu Orgiu), which flows into the aforementioned Rio from the Quirra plateau.