Lodine
Lodine, a small municipality in the Barbagia di Ollolai
We all know that Sardinia is a land rich in unspoiled nature, millennia-old history, and culture. In this article, I will tell you about Lodine, a municipality of just 305 inhabitants in the province of Nuoro, located in the Barbagia di Ollolai. I will try to introduce you to the secrets of this small Sardinian gem, sharing with you its history, physical geography, monuments and places of interest, demographic evolution, dialects and languages that still live, and the municipal administration.
The history of Lodine
The area we know today as Lodine has been inhabited since pre-Nuragic Sardinia, as evidenced by the findings of "tombe dei giganti" (giants' graves). During the Nuragic era, several Nuraghe were built in the area. In the Middle Ages, Lodine belonged to the Giudicato of Arborea and was part of the curatoria of the Barbagia di Ollolai. In 1420, it passed under the domination of the Marquisate of Oristano and was a fiefdom of Giovanni Deiana. During the Battle of Macomer in 1478, the village came under Aragonese domination. In 1604, it was incorporated into the Duchy of Mandas, a fiefdom of the Maza and then the Tellez-Giron d'Alcantara. It was only in 1839 that the village was redeemed from the feudal system of Casa Savoia. In 1928, it was added to the municipality of Gavoi, of which it became a fraction, but in 1988, it was reconstituted as a municipality.
The physical geography of Lodine
Lodine is located in the Barbagia di Ollolai, in the province of Nuoro. The territory is hilly, characterized by typical Mediterranean vegetation, including cork oak and holm oak. The village is crossed by the Flumendosa River, a watercourse that flows on the island for about 127 kilometers.
The monuments and places of interest in Lodine
Lodine is a municipality that boasts a territory rich in archaeological sites of great importance, dating back to pre-Nuragic and Nuragic Sardinia. Among the monuments to visit are the Church of San Giovanni Battista and the Nuraghe Pitzus, located near the village. The Nuraghe Pitzus is a stone tower dating back to the Nuragic period.
The demographic evolution of Lodine
Today, Lodine has only 305 inhabitants, but over the years, the population has undergone various fluctuations. In 1921, it had 634 inhabitants, but in 2011, it had dropped to 305.
The dialects and languages of Lodine
Lodine is part of one of the nine municipalities of Barbagia, where the "occlusiva glottidale sorda" is still spoken. This particular form of speech is borrowed from the Logudorese Sardinian language and is only spoken in some municipalities of the area.
The administration of Lodine
Lodine is an independent municipality, with its own mayor and municipal council. The municipality is part of the Union of Municipalities of Terre Barbagie and Mandrolisai, an organization founded in 2014 that includes eleven municipalities in the area.
In conclusion, Lodine is a Sardinian municipality where culture, history, and tradition blend perfectly with the nature and beauty of the surrounding territory. An ideal destination for anyone who wants to discover the secrets of the most authentic and original Sardinia.
