MACOR is not only for red coral lovers
Alghero is the Coral Riviera of the Mediterranean, where red coral fishing dates back hundreds of years. Alghero is the city of the red coral and the coral is locally referred to as red gold, as it produces quite the wealth for the city. It belongs to the species Corallium Rubrum and has been knowns as the finest in the whole Mediterranean.
You can even find the red coral in the official “coat of arms of the city,” granted by King Peter IV in 1355. A coral branch emerging from the waves of the sea, clinging to a rock. No coincidence that the area of Alghero is also called the Coral Coast.
It is important to know that the coral can only be collected by authorized fishermen. Yearly about 25 licenses are granted for fishing between May and October, and each fisher can collect no more than 2.5 kg (5.5 pounds) of coral. Fishing is only allowed in immersion with the use of an ax at a depth not less than 50 meters. Any use of underwater robots is prohibited.
Waddling around Alghero you will notice shops filled with not only jewelry, but all kinds of things made of red coral.
Understandably, the visit to the museum should be on the list.
We learned a lot of interesting things about the corals which we didn’t know before.
Located on the via XX Settembre 8, the museum is housed in a beautiful art villa and the exhibition is nicely scattered over the whole house. You can easily waddle there from anywhere in the old city of Alghero.
Practical Information
You can buy tickets via the Alghero Experience as one of the bundles, or just separately as we did.
- Adults: 5 €
- Reduced ticket: 4 € (seniors over 65 years old, teenagers 14-17 years old)
- Penguins: free
The guided tour costs 3 € per person and is payable separately at the MACOR ticket office.
We bought the tickets directly there at the MACOR ticket office located on the right when you enter and paid by card.
For full information on tickets see their website here – link.
OPENING HOURS
As with many businesses in Alghero, there might be a siesta in the afternoon, therefore make sure to plan to check your times before waddling over.
Mondays: 4.30pm – 7 pm
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: 10.30 am -12.30pm
Thursday: 4.30 pm – 7 pm
Friday: 10.30 am -12.30pm
Saturday: 10.30 am -12.30pm / 4.30pm – 7 pm
Sunday: 10.30 am -12.30pm / 4.30pm – 7 pm
See their website here – link, for more information on visiting hours.
Inside the Red Coral Museum
You will learn quite interesting things about the red coral. For example, something we didn’t know was that it is not an underwater plant, but a colonial animal species. The living elements of the colony are tiny polyps that live and grow in adjacent niches. And it wasn’t until the middle of the 18th century that the animal nature of the coral was definitely recognized.
The red coral is thus a colonial living animal form, not a vegetable or mineral and it was believed in the past. This piece of information blew our minds, as we thought it is a plant.
The biggest contribution to the advancement of the knowledge about the red coral was made by a French naturalist named Lacaze-Duthiers.
Then we also learned that this species also reproduced sexually in the months between July and September. Interesting.
The Mediterranean red coral is also a filter feeder, meaning that the availability of its prey depends upon their spatial and temporal distribution.
It is also interesting to know that when using the term “corals” we are generally referring to marine organisms belonging to the Anthozoa Class that form typical colonies, but then we use the term “coral” in the singular, we are almost always referring to Mediterranean red coral (Corallium Rubum) and they are not able to form coral reefs.
Waddling up the stairs to the second floor, where more things made out of the red coral await you.
My favorite part was the short (about 10 minutes) video about the history and more. Not usually one to sit down and watch videos in the museum, this one was very interesting and highly recommended to watch it.
Very pleasant experience and learned a lot of new things.
When buying a souvenir look for shops selling Corallium Rubrum, in the historic center there are craft shops with a quality seal, to make sure it is really made out of the red coral.
In case you are a museum lover there is more to see in Alghero.
- MASE: Museum of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry located in the Torre di Porto Conte and it celebrated the writers-aviator’s life and works. On 10th May 1944, Antoine De Saint-Exupéry arrived at the military airport of Fertilia in a B26 aircraft piloted by Captain Rouzard and lived in Alghero until July of the same year. In Alghero, he wrote most of his novel “The Wisdom of the Sands” and his last work, “Letter to an American”.
- MÚSA: Archeological Museum founded to preserve the historical memory and the cultural heritage. It offers a unique and privileged view of locations which can no longer be physically used, but which are still today the subject-matter of academic studies.
- CASA MANNO Museum founded to honor Giuseppe Manno. Each room offers ideas for reflection or inspiring images that represent sights and sounds of a past time in which the Kingdom of Sardinia played a central role in the Nation-Building process in Italian history.
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