Archive for the 'Ogliastra: Archaeology and History'

In the historic center of town stands the cathedral, the Church of St. Andrew, patron of the city, which in 1832 was hit by the flood of the river Foddeddu, a small river in the area.

This church dates from the eighteenth century and the baroque style is predominant.

Inside, divided into three aisles, there are numerous works of art, as well as slightly raised marble altar.

In the area of the port of Arbatax arise two other monuments, two towers: the Spanish tower of San Miguel and San Gemiliano tower, located on opposite sides of the promontory and built for military-defensive back in the seventeenth century.

Another place to visit if you like history and archeology is the village of nuraghi and monoliths founded almost 2000 years before Christ, which is located outside the village in the direction of the park of San Salvatore.

The Janas Domus of ancient buildings are converted from the rocks of Mount Terli and consist of several rooms decorated with circular openings frames.

Finally, on the Rio Foddeddu, a small river in the area, you can see an iron bridge recently built dating back to 1906.

The first historical Tortolì (though its foundation dates back to 3000 BC) took place during the Roman Empire to domination by foreign peoples, first the Carthaginians, then the Goths, to pass under Arab rule, and then Spanish. In about 1100 he joined the court of Cagliari and became the county seat of Quirra.

Its recent history is more detailed: in 1807 became the provincial capital until 1859 when it leaves the scepter Lanusei and becomes part of the province of Cagliari.

One of the blackest pages in the history of this country is scirtta But in 1869 when he arrives in town smallpox, brought by a prisoner who claimed many victims. Just continue to make smallpox deaths in 1908, until the arrival of the still worse Spanish flu.

Meanwhile Tortolì changes again and passes under Nuoro province until the year 2005 when in fact becomes the capital of Ogliastra with Lanusei.

Another page is written finally in the black World War II when Tortoli, in particular the port of Arbatax, is bombed by 18 aircraft to break the maritime trade of our country. A few years earlier had received the visit of Mussolini.