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Banari

Banari is visited along with its center and surroundings, including the church of Santa Maria di Seve or Santa Maria di Cea.

The Historic Region of Meilogu

In the medieval period, the Logudoro was one of the four Sardinian Giudicati, with its capitals successively at Porto Torres, Ardara, and Sassari. This region can be divided into three parts: Logudoro Turritano (the Sassarese) to the north, Logudoro Meilogu to the west, and Logudoro Montacuto to the east. The name Meilogu derives from Mediu logu, meaning “in the heart of the Giudicato”.

The municipalities belonging to the Meilogu region are Ardara, Banari, Bessude, Bonnanaro, Bonorva, Borutta, Cheremule, Cossoine, Giave, Ittireddu, Mara, Mores, Padria, Pozzomaggiore, Semestene, Siligo, Thiesi, and Torralba. The territory is predominantly flat, producing cereals and vegetables, with thriving sheep farming that supports a rich dairy industry, well-supported by numerous springs and watercourses.

The Municipality of Banari

The municipality of Banari (pronounced Bànari, elevation 419 meters above sea level, population 533 as of December 31, 2021) is an agricultural village situated between the Logudoro and Meilogu plateaus at the foot of the Pale Idda hill. It is surrounded by mountains and red trachyte plateaus, with Monte Maiore to the north and Monte Sa Silva to the south. The village lies just seven kilometers from the Carlo Felice SS131 highway. The municipal territory has an irregular geometric profile with elevations ranging from 167 to 583 meters above sea level. The town lends its name to the famous Banari onion.

Origin of the Name

The name is likely of pre-Roman origin. Some scholars suggest it derives from the Phoenician word Bana (meaning a building or dwelling), while others link it to the Balari, a prehistorical population that inhabited a mountainous region in the northern part of the island.

Economy & Gastronomy

The local economy is predominantly agricultural, specializing in cereals, wheat, vegetables, fodder, vines, olives, and fruits, alongside cattle, pig, sheep, goat, and horse breeding. Traditional craftsmanship includes artistic and construction-related terracotta production (such as tiles and bricks). Red trachyte extraction remains an active source of income and employment.

Local culinary traditions rely on wholesome rustic ingredients like vegetables, legumes, sausages, and lamb. Specialties include:

• Cipolla di Banari: A local onion variety (allium cepa) with a flat, large bulb weighing over a kilogram and a sweet flavor.

• Biancheddus: Sardinian almond-based meringues.

• Cinghiale alla montanina: Wild boar cooked with garlic, juniper, laurel, olives, and parsley.

• Cozzuleddas: Fritters similar to panzarotti prepared with honey, orange, walnuts, almonds, ginger, and cinnamon.

Historical Overview

The territory shows human presence since the prehistoric era through neolithic tombs, while the village emerged in the 1st century BC during the Roman occupation. In the medieval period, it belonged to the Logudoro Giudicato within the curatoria of Meilogu. First cited in a 1125 papal bull, Banari originated from the merger of three nuclei: the ancient village of Vanari and the monastic centers of San Lorenzo and San Michele.

From 1259, it passed as a fief to the Doria family, later coming under Aragonese and Spanish rule, and in the 17th century, it became part of the Marquessate of Cea. Following Savoy rule and the abolition of the feudal system in 1837, it was aggregated into the County of Villanova and Montesanto.

Festivals and Traditions

• First weekend of July: Festa dell’Asinello, featuring donkey-based sandwiches and dishes alongside vegetarian options.

• Late July: Festa della Cipolla Dorata, celebrating the local golden onion with tastings and historic street walks.

• August 9, 10, and 11: Patronal Feast of Saint Lawrence the Martyr (San Lorenzo Martire).

• September 8: Festival dedicated to Our Lady of Cea (Madonna di Cea).

• September 28 and 29: Festival in honor of Archangel Michael (San Michele Arcangelo).

• Mid-December: Carrelas in festa: Artes, Trastes e Sabores, offering historic center tours, food tastings, craft demonstrations, and live music.

Exploring the Center of Banari

• Municipal Cemetery: Located just outside the town along the SP41bis coming from Siligo, featuring both a new and a historic traditional burial area.

• Alberelli Municipal Sports Ground: Located along Via Alberto Marmora, featuring a dirt-pitch football field with stands for about 100 spectators.

• Funtana ‘e Subra: The upper historic public fountain and covered washhouse built from red trachyte, around which the medieval old town and the ancient church of San Michele originally developed.

• Via Laconi Sports Complex: Features a synthetic-turf five-a-side football pitch, a basketball court, a tennis court, and a bocce court.

• Church of Saint Michael the Archangel (San Michele Arcangelo): Likely existing by the 11th century when it was donated to Camaldolese monks by Judge Constantine I of Torres in 1113. It features a single-nave Romanesque structure, an internal 1320 consecration inscription discovered during altar maintenance, and hosts the annual September festival.

• “La Pera” Sculpture by Giuseppe Carta: An oversized white Carrara marble pear sculpture created by Banari-born artist Giuseppe Carta, permanently installed in Largo Antonio Gramsci in 2022.

• Town Hall (Municipio): Located at Piazza Antonio Solinas 1 within an early 19th-century building adorned with red trachyte details.

• War Memorial: Located on the facade of the Town Hall, created between 1920 and 1935 and attributed to Giuseppe Tilocca.

• Logudoro Meilogu Foundation and Contemporary Art Museum: Headquartered in the historic 13th-century Palazzo Tonca on Via Architetto Marongiu, housing a collection of over 500 paintings and sculptures by Sardinian and Italian artists, alongside a modern exhibition space and sculpture park.

• Parish Church of Saint Lawrence (San Lorenzo Diacono e Martire): Probable 11th-century origin, radically restructured in the early 18th century with the addition of a Neoclassical facade, an octagonal bell tower, and lateral chapels. It serves as the town’s primary parish church and hosts the August patronal celebrations.

• Oratory of the Holy Cross (Santa Croce): Former home of a 16th-century brotherhood, featuring a fine red trachyte facade and a single-nave interior.

• Funtana ‘e Josso: The lower historic red trachyte fountain and covered public washhouse.

Exploring the Surroundings of Banari

• Nuraghe Su Crapione: A simple single-tower tholos nuraghe built from local white limestone at an altitude of 382 meters.

• Domus de Janas of Su Crapione: A simple, single-cell rock-cut tomb located about 300 meters from the nuraghe, currently utilized as a livestock shelter.

• Ziu Juanne Hypogeic Necropolis (Sos Settes Coroneddos): Located along the SP41bis toward Ittiri, this site features multiple domus de janas cut into a steep limestone cliff face, including single-cell tombs and complex L-shaped tombs with traces of red paint.

• Monastic Complex of Seve or Cea: Situated in a fertile valley along the Rio Biddighinzu, featuring the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria di Seve / Madonna di Cea (built in 1260 and dependent on the Vallombrosan monks of San Michele di Salvenero) alongside a well-preserved ancient hermitage (Romitorio) and courtyard. The sanctuary hosts a deeply revered annual festival on September 8 and 9.