Gonnosnò
Gonnosnò: the pearl of Alta Marmilla
Hello everyone! Today I'm talking about Gonnosnò, a small Sardinian commune located in the province of Oristano, with only 734 inhabitants. If you've never heard of it, it's not a surprise, but I'll reveal a secret: in the surrounding areas, it's known as "the pearl of Alta Marmilla". Let's explore this enchanting place!
Physical geography
Territory
Gonnosnò is located at the foot of the Giara plateau, about 200 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by hills and mountains and covers an area of 15.45 km². The commune also includes the village of Figu, which takes its name from the presence of numerous fig trees.
Origins of the name
The name Gonnosnò derives from the combination of a pre-Latin term meaning "mountain" and another word that some believe to be of Greek origin, meaning "temple" or "new". The exact origin of the name Figu is not known, although some believe it to be derived from the name of the legendary bandit Figu, while others believe it is related to the presence of a large number of fig trees in the area.
History
Gonnosnò has a rich and ancient history. In the area, numerous testimonies of the presence of Nuragic and Roman settlements have been found. During the Middle Ages, Gonnosnò was part of the Giudicato of Arborea and later of the Marchesato of Oristano. In 1478, it passed under Aragonese rule and became a fiefdom of the Carroz counts of Quirra. In 1603, it was incorporated into the Marchesato of Quirra. In 1839, with the suppression of the feudal system, the village was redeemed by the last feudal lords, the Osorio.
Symbols
The coat of arms and flag of the commune of Gonnosnò were granted in 2005.
Monuments and places of interest
Archaeological sites
Gonnosnò is a true treasure for lovers of archaeology. In the area, there are five nuraghes and numerous other sites of historical and archaeological interest, including the Nuragic temple of San Salvatore well, the Giants' Tombs of Is Lapideddas, the Nuraghe Emmàuru, the Nuraghe Marafiu, the Nuraghe Nieddiu (on the Giara of Gesturi), the Nuraghe su Nuraxi, the Nuraghe Tramatza and the paved stone enclosure (on the Giara of Gesturi).
Society
Demographic evolution
The commune of Gonnosnò has only 734 inhabitants, but in recent years, the population has remained fairly stable.
Languages and dialects
The variant of the Sardinian language spoken in Gonnosnò is the Western Campidanese Sardinian.
Administration
The management of the commune of Gonnosnò is entrusted to a mayor and a municipal council elected by the population.
Notes
If you want to visit Gonnosnò, I recommend doing so in spring or summer, when the landscape is particularly suggestive thanks to the presence of blossoming trees and aromatic plants.
Bibliography
If you want to deepen your knowledge of Gonnosnò and its history, I recommend reading the books "The Nuraghe of Gonnosnò" by Antonio Tanda and "Gonnosnò. History of a village in Sardinia" by Efisio Poddighe.
Related articles
Gonnosnò is near the Gonnosnò railway station, on the line between Cagliari and Chilivani. If you are looking for other ideas to visit the area, you can consider a visit to Marmilla, a geographic sub-region of Sardinia that includes several communes, including Gonnosnò.
Other projects
For more information on the commune of Gonnosnò, you can visit the Comunas portal of the Sardinia Region or the website of the Gonnosnò Commune.
