Orroli
A journey to Orroli: discovering the history of the town and its treasures
Orroli, known in Sardinian as ''Arrolli'', is a small municipality located in the province of South Sardinia. With a population of 2112 inhabitants, it is famous for hosting the largest and most complex nuraghe in Sardinia, the nuraghe Arrubiu. But this is not the only treasure that can be found in this area. In this article, we discover together the history, monuments and places of interest of Orroli, through a journey that will guide us to discover the beauties of the town.
History
The area of Orroli has been inhabited since the Nuragic period, with the presence of several nuraghe in the territory. Later, the town was under Punic and Roman domination.
In the Middle Ages, Orroli belonged to the Judicate of Cagliari and was part of the curatoria of Siurgus. In 1258, with the fall of the Judicate, it passed under Pisan domination and from 1324 under Aragonese domination. In 1355, Orroli sent its representatives to the first Sardinian parliament convened by the Aragonese in Cagliari. In the following years, the town declined.
In 1604, the Aragonese incorporated the town into the Duchy of Mandas, fiefdom of the Maza family. In the Savoy era, the lordship passed to the Tellez-Giron d'Alcantara, who redeemed it in 1839 with the suppression of the feudal system.
Under Regional Law No. 9 of 12 July 2001, the municipality of Orroli, which was in the province of Nuoro, was to be incorporated into the newly created province of Medio Campidano. With the subsequent Regional Law No. 10 of 13 October 2003, it was instead decided to pass to the province of Cagliari, of which it was part until the subsequent reform of 2016.
Symbols
The coat of arms and gonfalon of the municipality of Orroli were granted by decree of the President of the Republic on 21 January 2009. The gonfalon is a truncated cloth of red and white.
Monuments and places of interest
Civil architecture
Orroli is rich in well-preserved patrician historical buildings. Among the most famous are "Omu Axiu", the patrician residence of the Vargiu family with a typical courtyard, currently used as an ethnographic museum-restaurant-hotel on Via Roma. There are also "Casa Carrus" and "Casa Sirigu", acquired by the Municipality and used as artisan workshops on Via d'Arborea and Via Nuraghe. In addition, we find the patrician residence "Casa Schirru", a private residence on Via Roma, and the nineteenth-century villa of the Vittorio Anedda## family, a building on Via d'Arborea, a private residence whose style shows affinities with neo-Gothic.
Religious architecture
The parish church of San Vincenzo Martire, patron saint of Orroli, retains in large part the Gothic-Aragonese architectural features of the 16th century, although it was built on pre-existing cult structures dating back to the 12th century.
Nuraghe Arrubiu
The nuraghe Arrubiu is certainly one of the most important points of interest in Orroli. It is the largest and most complex nuraghe in Sardinia and one of the major protohistoric monuments in all of western Europe. Its construction dates back to the Bronze Age and it houses several interconnected rooms.
Flumendosa Dam and Mulargia Lake
Another place of interest in Orroli is the Flumendosa Dam, one of the two dams that regulate the course of the Flumendosa River. Here we also find Lake Mulargia, an artificial lake from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the mountain and the surrounding hills.
Laconi House Museum
In the nearby town of Laconi, we find the Casa Museo Laconi, the museum dedicated to the poet Vittorio Angius Laconi. Here you can admire several objects belonging to the poet and explore his history and that of the surrounding territory.
Orroli is a small municipality that has a lot to offer to its visitors. With its ancient history and its natural and architectural treasures, it is a place not to be missed for all those who wish to discover the beauty of Sardinia.
