Cardedu and the Ogliastra Region
The Historical Region of Ogliastra
Ogliastra is a central-eastern region of Sardinia characterized by a rugged landscape where
porphyry cliffs, granite formations, and deep gorges meet pristine coastal coves.
Overview of Cardedu
Cardedu (from the Latin Cardetum, meaning “thistle field”) is the youngest municipality in Ogliastra,
located in the Pelau River plain below Mount Ferru.
Origins & History:
Cardedu was established in the wake of the catastrophic October 1951 floods.
Torrential rainfall forced the evacuation and abandonment of inland villages like Gairo Vecchio.
Displaced residents relocated to the coast, founding the settlement of Gairo Cardedu in 1966. The
community gained full municipal autonomy in 1984.
Artistic Connection: Cardedu is deeply tied to artist Maria Lai (1919–2013), who spent her
childhood here and returned in 1992 to live and work at A Casa di Lola. Her art, renowned for
combining avant-garde concepts with traditional Sardinian techniques, is featured in the local
parish church.
Key Sites & Cultural Landmarks
• Parish Church of San Paolo Apostolo: A modern church built in 1965 and renovated in
2006. Its interior features a custom Stations of the Cross created by Maria Lai using beach
pebbles and ropes, alongside works by sculptor Pinuccio Sciola.
• Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Buoncammino: An ancient rural chapel founded between
710 and 1015 AD. Rebuilt inland in 1801 to escape Saracen raids, its exterior wall
incorporates an ancient Roman boundary stone marking the border between the Alticenses
and Rubrenses tribes.
• Cuccuddadas Su Presoni Sacred Well: A Bronze Age Nuragic water shrine built with
unpolished granite blocks, featuring an intact corbelled dome and step vaulting with engraved
lintel reliefs.
• Monte Arista Necropolis: A prehistoric site located on the slopes of Mount Arista comprising
ten well-preserved granite domus de janas (rock-cut tombs) divided into three distinct
clusters.
• Nuraghe Desfollas & Nuraghe de Perdu: Nuraghe Desfollas is a multi-towered complex
built of granite and porphyry on Mount Arista. Nuraghe de Perdu is a single-tower coastal
nuraghe standing just meters from the shore at Sa Perda ’e Pera.
• Coastal Beaches: Cardedu’s coastline features a continuous stretch of sand, pebbles, and
red porphyry, including Foddini Beach (at the mouth of the Pelau/Pardu River), Museddu
Beach (backed by pine woods), Sa Perda ’e Pera, and Lispedda (La Spiaggetta).