Orgosolo
Welcome to Orgosolo
Hi everyone! Today I want to talk to you about Orgosolo, a municipality in the province of Nuoro, located in the Barbagia di Nuoro region of Sardinia. With its 3,924 inhabitants and an altitude of 620 meters above sea level, Orgosolo is a mountain village with mainly hilly and mountainous terrain. The largest flat area is the Locoe valley, which extends along the Cedrino river.
The natural beauty of the area
The village and its surroundings are characterized by spectacular nature, which offers breathtaking landscapes and fascinating panoramas. Among the main peaks are Monte Novo San Giovanni, Monte Fumai, Punta Sa Pruna, and Monte Armario, whose summit represents the highest point in the municipality. Orgosolo's territory is very vast, covering an area of 223.66 km², and also includes a small hamlet in the Galanoli locality, six km from the main center along the provincial road to Mamoiada.
The origin of the name
The name Orgosolo could derive from the Proto-Sardinian toponym ''orgosa'', which means "moist territory, rich in water". Therefore, we could imagine that the name refers to the nature and peculiarities of the territory.
The history of Orgosolo
Humans have frequented the territory of Orgosolo since prehistoric times, as demonstrated by the chlorite plate dating back to the Neolithic era, now exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum of Nuoro. There are numerous ceramic remains, geometric microliths, and obsidian arrowheads dating back to that time. Moreover, Orgosolo's territory hosts numerous testimonies of the Nuragic era, such as the 30 nuraghes present in the area, some of which are still well preserved, and several necropolises, such as the one in Oreharva with 15 tombs and Sirilò with 9 grotticella tombs.
The Carthaginian and Roman heritage
Orgosolo also has documents that demonstrate the presence of Carthaginians in pre-Roman times, such as Carthaginian ceramics and bronze coins found in the Urulu site. Furthermore, in two living quarters at the Sirilò site, ceramics dating back to the 6th and 4th centuries BC and a piece of an Attic vase with red-figure decoration were found, now visible at the Archaeological Museum of Nuoro.
Orgosolo today
Orgosolo is also known today for its tradition of murals on the facades of houses within the historic center, depicting scenes of everyday life or social solidarity. Also, the city is famous for its traditional masks used during carnival celebrations. This is just a small sample of how rich Orgosolo is in history and traditions. If possible, I recommend visiting this place, it will be an unforgettable experience!
