Arborea
Arborea: the story of a name
Arborea is a municipality in the province of Oristano, located in Sardinia, with a population of 3845 inhabitants. The city has a fascinating history, closely linked to the events of Italy during the fascist regime, during which the town changed its name several times. From 1930 to 1944, the city was named Mussolinia di Sardegna, in honor of the infamous dictator, Benito Mussolini. The name was then changed to Arborea, in reference to the historic region of Arborea, which corresponded to the Judicature of Arborea, in the late Middle Ages. The name derived from the Latin word "arboreta", meaning "woodland, forests", and is still present in the Campidanese and Logudorese Sardinian languages as "arburedu".
The history of Arborea
Arborea was founded during the fascist period, following the agricultural reclamation of the Terralba plain. The reclamation had been initiated during the Giolittian age, but was completed during the fascist regime. The reclamation project was completed completely only after the Second World War, thanks to the work of the Rockefeller Foundation, which funded a vast reclamation project using the DDT insecticide, allowing the eradication of malaria, a centuries-old scourge of the area. The city of Arborea during the fascist period developed thanks to the reclamation, which allowed the draining of large swamps and hundreds of marshes, transforming them into fertile lands suitable for cultivation and breeding in just a few years.
Symbols of Arborea
The coat of arms and flag of the municipality of Arborea were granted by the President of the Republic's decree on June 19, 1958. The coat of arms depicts "de limo fertilis resurgo" ("I rise fertile from the mud"), the Latin motto of Arborea, placed to remember the reclamation that allowed for draining of land into fertile areas in just a few years. In addition, the symbols of the city are represented in the coat of arms, such as the golden wheat ears and the silver and black marsh.
Monuments and places of interest in Arborea
Arborea boasts numerous monuments and places of interest both from a religious and civil point of view:
Religious architectures:
- Church of the Most Holy Redeemer
- Church of Mary the Assumed Virgin
Civil architectures:
- The Municipality
- The building of the Società Bonifiche Sarde
- The villa of the S.B.S. president
- The villa of the S.B.S. director
- Former Balilla House (later G.I.L.)
- Former Fascist Party House and littorial tower
- Former Militia Barracks for National Security
Other places of interest:
- In front of the Arborea Municipal Museum, a triangular plaque was erected commemorating the victims of the Bullenhuser Damm massacre who were murdered in 1945.
Conclusions
Arborea is a city with a unique history, closely linked to the Italian fascist period and the reclamation of the Terralba plain. The current name, reminiscent of the historic region of Arborea, symbolizes the city's development from a collection of stagnations and marshes to a fertile and rich land. Arborea also boasts numerous monuments and places of interest, which tell its story, making it a perfect tourist destination for those who want to discover an important part of Sardinia and Italy.
