Province of Oristano
The province of Oristano, Sardinia is situated in the middle west, facing west on the Sea of Sardinia, and borders the provinces of Sassari, Nuoro, the Middle Campidano and Cagliari.
The human presence in the province of Oristano dates back to Neolithic times, during the Punic-Roman period were built large shopping centers and military Othoca, Neapolis, Tharros, but with the weakening of the Roman Empire the population of Tharros around 1070, he moved into what is today the capital city of Oristano, giving rise to Giudicato of Arborea whose purpose, in 1410, coincided with the ' advent of the Aragonese domination, followed by the Spanish and Savoy.
The territory of the Province of Oristano
The territory is characterized by the presence of 90 kilometers of coastline with sandy beaches and coral beaches, along with a system of ponds and lagoons that make it a wetland of great interest. Starting from the north coast opens to the beach of Porto Alabe in Marina Tresnuraghes, followed by high basalt cliffs and the white cliffs and a Su Riu S'Archittu. Along the coasts there are several lagoons and coastal ponds, mostly along the peninsula of Sinis: are in the province of the ponds is Benas to Cabras, Santa Right to S'Ena Arrubia and finally Marceddì the pond, the largest in Sardinia, famous for the production of fish and clams.
Equally interesting is the interior, consisting of the mountain range of Montiferru, which hosts several mountain, the territories of Ghilarzese and Barigadu, and the landscape of gentle hills of Marmilla of Ales and Mogoro rich craft traditions.
Oristano and environs
At the northern limit of the plain of Campidano, near the mouth of the Tirso, sorge Oristano, capital of the province since 1974. In the historic center is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 1228 with the support of workers Lombard, then rebuilt in the seventeenth century in baroque style. The Tower of Mariano II, in blocks of sandstone, was built in 1291 and is, together with the tower Portixedda, the only trace of the walls. Within the neoclassical Palazzo Parpaglia is l 'Antiquarium Arborense, which houses various archaeological collections coming Tharros from the excavations, a picture gallery and a section at the Giudicati.
Only ten minutes from the town of Oristano hamlet marine Torregrande, lounge oristanesi of summer, which takes its name from Sa Turri Manna, the highest among the Spanish towers located along the Sardinian coast. Torregrande feature is the quiet promenade along the beach from the sandy golden grain grossi gravel and thin; Torregrande also has well-equipped marina, with over 400 berths.
In the small hamlet of Donigala Fenughedu you can visit the church of Santa Petronilla, the sober facade tympanum, surrounded by a thousand years old olive trees, a few meters from Donigala lies the shrine of Our Lady of Remedy, which on 7 and 8 September celebrate the festivities in honor of Virgin.
Archaeological sites in the province of Oristano
In the province of Oristano, you can find numerous archaeological remains to witness the successive civilizations over the centuries, beginning with the civilizations and nuraghic nuragica the Abbasanta Nuraghe Losa to the sacred wells in the Santa Cristina Paulilatino and San Salvatore Cabras, with domus de Janas and the menhir Ruinas, Villa S. Antonio and Asuni and the tombs of the giants of Pompu and Usellus.
Important are also the historical period of the Punic-Roman ruins from the Punic and Roman city of Tharros, where there are sections of the fragments, two spa buildings, two temples and the Punic altar on patches, T Roman herms of Fordongianus. Striking the ruins of the castles of Judicial era: the Castle Barumele at Ales, and Medusa, and between Asuni Samugheo.
Worth a visit the complex of Santa Maria di Bonarcado in the homonymous village, which includes the sanctuary, the Romanesque church of Santa Maria and the ruins of the monastery and the Basilica di Santa Maria della Neve in Cuglieri, dating from the eighteenth century, Inside is a statue of Our Lady Snow, dating from the fourteenth century, found in the bay of Santa Caterina di Pittinnuri.
Crafts and traditions of the Province of Oristano
The province of Oristano boasts ancient craft traditions, and is renowned not only for the production of ceramics and plaited baskets for fine jewelry in gold and silver, still made according to old production techniques and the ornamental grounds of a time. Among the typical gastronomy Oristanese, do not miss the mullet roe (eggs and salted dried fish) from ponds in the province, and different recipes based eels among the desserts, the very characteristic mustazzolus, based on the must of wine.
Among the many feasts, festivals and processions in the province, particularly those features related to the carnival. Among these, the most attention is the Sartiglia a carousel horse that runs for more than five hundred years the last Sunday and Tuesday of Carnival in Oristano: Componidori on the Capocorso, leads a procession of masked horsemen, buglers and drummers through the city to the Piazza del Duomo, one hundred in the historic city, and then launch, followed by the other riders in a race at a gallop to put the sword in the hole at the center of a silver star hanging by a thread.