Fordongianus and the Barigadu Region
The Historical Region of Barigadu
The Barigadu is a historical subregion of central Sardinia located entirely within the Province of Oristano, stretching across the southern shores of Lake Omodeo (the island’s largest artificial lake). Known for its mild, sunny climate, the landscape combines rolling plains, hills, cork and oak forests, and rich Mediterranean scrub that shelters rare wildlife such as Sardinian deer, wild boars, and golden eagles.
Overview of Fordongianus
Fordongianus is a hill town situated on a trachyte platform along a wide bend of the Tirso River. Its economy is based on agropastoral activities, stone quarrying, and thermal tourism, celebrated for its naturally hot, mineral-rich thermal waters gurgling out at 54°C.
Origins & History:
The town’s name derives from the Latin Forum Traiani (“Trajan’s Forum”), established by Roman Emperor Trajan (between 98 and 117 AD) as a fortified stronghold and commercial hub (Aquae Ypsitanae) to contain raids from the indigenous Ilienses (Barbaricini) tribes. During the Byzantine period, it was fortified with walls and aqueducts. In the Middle Ages, it served as the administrative capital of the Parte Barigadu curatoria within the Giudicato of Arborea. Later under Spanish rule, it formed part of the Marquisate of Busachi before its 1839 state redemption.
The Capital of Trachyte: Fordongianus is widely known as the “Capital of Trachyte” (la capitale della trachite) due to its extensive pink, green, and grey volcanic stone quarries. Local stonecutters have shaped the town’s distinct red-hued architecture for centuries. Every summer, the town hosts an International Trachyte Sculpture Symposium.
Key Sites & Cultural Highlights:
- Roman Thermal Baths (Terme Romane): Built under Emperor Trajan in the 1st century AD over natural 54°C thermal springs, featuring a large rectangular natatio (pool), a nymphaeum dedicated to the water nymphs, and a later 3rd-century classic bath complex (frigidarium, tepidarium, calidarium) decorated with 4th-century horse-racing frescoes.
- Roman Amphitheater: Discovered in the Apprezzau valley, dating to the 1st century AD and expanded in the 3rd century to seat roughly 3,000 spectators.
- Sanctuary of San Lussorio: A Romanesque church built in the early 12th century by Victorine monks, featuring a Catalan-Gothic facade and a subterranean crypt housing the 4th-century martyrium and burial site of Saint Luxorius (Lussorio), who was martyred under Diocletian in 304 AD.
- Casa Aragonese: A 16th-century noble residence built entirely from local trachyte, featuring Late-Gothic Aragonese and Renaissance architectural elements, including a restored front portico.