Ardara
Ardara: a dive into the history of Sardinia
If you are passionate about Sardinia and wish to discover its historical roots, you cannot miss Ardara, a municipality in the province of Sassari, which preserves an incredible cultural heritage and had a significant role in past centuries.
History
In the Middle Ages, Ardara was a fixed dwelling place of the judges of Torres and the government bodies. The decision to transfer the court from Porto Torres to Ardara between the 11th and 12th centuries was crucial. The main monuments that we can still admire today date back to that period. The choice to move to Ardara was motivated by the healthier climate compared to Porto Torres and the threats of the Barbary pirates.
The rulers built the "palazzio regis," where the judge lived with his family, and the government and chancellery worked. Furthermore, the Palatine Chapel of Santa Maria del Regno was built, where the marriages, enthronements and funerals of the reigning dynasty of Lacon Gunale were celebrated. In the church, in December 1236, Adelasia di Torres signed an act of submission to the Holy See, appointing it as the heir in case of a lack of children.
The credit for the construction of the Ardara Palace goes to Giorgia, sister of Gonnario Comita, who called Pisan craftsmen to carry out the construction. The Palace had a solemn appearance, with several floors and various windows, with entrances facing the countryside. In fact, in the early 1800s, there were discreet remains, while today, only the remains of a 12-meter tower and a few walls are visible. Around the "reggia," the true hub of judicial power, were other governmental or gentilic buildings.
The basilica of Ardara is one of the most significant Romanesque-Pisan monuments in Sardinia. Behind the high altar, the Retablo Maggiore of Santa Maria del Regno is preserved, a prominent work of the Sardinian Cinquecento executed by Martin Torner and the predella by Giovanni Muru. In the underlying crypt, the tomb of Queen Adelasia di Torres was found, who died in the Burgos Castle not far from Ardara. The judge spent long periods in the Ardara Palace with her second husband, Enzo di Sardegna, the natural son of Frederick II of Swabia, who she also married in the Palatine Chapel of Santa Maria del Regno in 1238.
The death without heirs of Adelasia di Torres, around 1259, caused the end of the judgeship of Torres and its division in favor of the Doria, the Malaspina, and the judgeship of Arborea. Ardara was assigned to the Doria.
Despite the divorce from Adelasia di Torres and his state of captivity in Bologna, Enzo di Swabia continued to bear the title of judges of Torres until his death in 1272.
The Ardara Castle was unsuccessfully besieged in 1326 by the Aragonese and was sold in 1355 by Damiano Doria to the judge of Arborea. The village followed the fate of the castle.
In summary, Ardara is a municipality that will not fail to surprise you with a history rich in events and influential characters. A visit to these places is a dive into the past that will make you appreciate even more the beauty of Sardinia.
