A short hike to the Nuraghe Riu Mulinu Cabu Abbas.

The Nuraghe Riu Mulinu Cabu Abbas, which means “beginning of the water”, is located north of Olbia in Sardinia. It is an old fortress with a diameter of over 50 m on the summit of the 246 m high Punta Casteddu. Cabu Abbas looks like a well-preserved wall five meters high that surrounds a small round hut called Riu Mulino. This site should not be confused with the church of Nostra Signora di Cabu Abbas or the giant tomb of Cabu Abbas in Torralba.

The ruined nuraghe in Cabu Abbas is part of a group with two niches in the central area. In Sardinia there is no comparable overall concept like this one, which is dated to the Middle Bronze Age between 1600 and 1300 BC. Nuraghi are ancient towers that were built during the Bonnanaro culture (2200-1600 BC) and the subsequent Nuragic culture (around 1600-400 BC) in Sardinia.

The complex is located on the highest point of a granite ridge, about one kilometer east of the church of Nostra Signora di Cabu Abbas. A path leads uphill from the old cemetery to a rich spring that was used by the Romans to supply Olbia with water via the Sa Rughitulla aqueduct. The place is associated with the cult of water. During excavations in 1936, a Nuragic bronze was found depicting a woman with an amphora on her head.

Every year on May 1st, the popular festival “Cabbu Abbas” takes place in Olbia, where a competition between poets and singers is held.

The hiking route is approx. 4 km long and takes about an hour.