Oristano
Oristano
Oristano was founded in the eleventh century and has numerous examples of medieval architecturs. The tower of San Cristoforo was once the entrance to Oristano and parts of the original city walls can still be seen in Piazza Roma. The tower and walls were built in in 1291 by order of Mariano II. Also during his administration, the Duomo of Santa Maria was built. Its original structure has almost disappeared; only the apse, bell-tower, basement and the Rimedio’s gothic chapel still remain.
The first repairs date back to the XVI Century and later in the XVIII and XIX Centuries, as evidenced by the building’s current Baroque style. Not far from Roma Square is Eleonora D’Arborea’s house. It was probably the gendarmes’ head office, as the Giudicato of Arborea coat of arms indicates. The building is located in Parpaglia Street, where the city’s oldest and most traditional inn is also located Here, it’s possible to taste the delicious Vernaccia of Oristano wine. Walking along Corso Umberto, you’ll come upon the square dedicated to Eleonora. On one side of the square is the town hall, built in the Scolopi’s monastery. The Duomo of Assunta is also in the same area. It’s mixture of different artistic styles, baroque being the outstanding one. Opposite is the St. Francis church, completely rebuilt in the neo-classical style by the architect Gaetano Cima in the XIX Century. Inside, to the left of the altar, is the famous Nicodemo’s crucifix, the most important example of a Spanish gothic sculpture in Sardinia. Oristano houses the important Antiquarium Arborense Museum , with its numerous findings from the Nuraghic and Roman Ages that come from the old cities of Tharros and Cornus. Other interesting monuments in the historical centre include the church of St. Dominic, the church of St. Clare (gothic-styled building dating back to 1345 and recently restored) and the church of Carmine. This is a beautiful example of baroque-Piedmont architecture, designed by the architect Giuseppe Viana between 1766 and 1785. The church’s ex-monastery offers the temporary exhibition of local handicrafts, particularly during the carnival period (February), when the famous equestrian tournament called Sartiglia takes place. Oristano is not on the coast, but the beautiful Torre Grande beach is not very far from it. On this beach, you’ll find the biggest tower in Sardinia, characterised by a cylindrical shape and a base diameter of almost 20 m. It was built by order of Filippo II of Spain with the aim of protecting the harbour from the Saracen raids. Afterwards, the tower was converted into a lighthouse and in 1880 the lighthouse keeper’s house was built.
Torre Grande is a famous tourist destination with plenty of resorts and in the summertime has over 20.000 inhabitants.