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Bono

Bono is the birthplace of Giovanni Maria Angioy, and it is visited along with its surroundings.

The Historic Region of Goceano

The Goceano (Sardinian: Sa Costèra) is a historical region in north-central Sardinia that includes the upper basin of the Tirso River, facing the mountain chain of the same name. According to historian Giovanni Francesco Fara, the Latin name Gothiani indicates settlement by the Goths, while others derive Goceano or Guttiánu from Gúttiu (drop), pointing to an abundance of water springs. The municipalities of Goceano include Anela, Benetutti, Bono, Bottidda, Bultei, Burgos, Esporlatu, Illorai, and Nule. The area’s primary resources are cereal cultivation in the valley floor, pastoralism, and forestry.

The Municipality of Bono

The municipality of Bono (elevation 540 meters above sea level, population 3,331 as of December 31, 2021) is the most important commercial center in Goceano. Its name derives from the Latin Bonu (good, useful, a propitious site for livestock breeding). Situated at the foot of Monte Rasu (the highest mountain in Goceano, whose peak Sa punta Manna reaches 1,259 meters), it served as a bishop’s residence in the 15th century and is rich in historical landmarks, such as the five medieval churches known as Sas Cresias de Su Campu.

• Associations: Bono is a member of the National Association of Wine Cities (Associazione Nazionale Città del Vino).

• Economy: Primarily agropastoral, complemented by traditional handicrafts (iron and wood working, weaving) and bread-making.

Historical Overview

• Ancient & Medieval Eras: Prehistoric remains indicate early habitation. In the Middle Ages, Bono entered the Giudicato of Logudoro within the curatoria of Goceano. A Pisan-style church (now the parish church of San Michele Arcangelo) and a convent on Monte Rasu were erected in the 12th century, alongside the nearby Castello del Goceano.

• Modern Era: Following Aragonese and Spanish dominations that brought plagues and depopulation, the 18th century under the Savoy brought agricultural improvements. In 1796, following participation in anti-feudal revolts led by Giovanni Maria Angioy, the town was attacked and bombarded by Piedmontese troops, though the population resisted and took some soldiers prisoner. Early in the 20th century, Bono belonged briefly to the Province of Nuoro before transferring to Sassari, though it maintains strong cultural and economic ties with Nuoro.

Notable Figures

• Giovanni Maria Angioy (1751–1808): Born in Bono to a rural bourgeois family, he became a revolutionary, politician, university professor, and supreme judge (giudice della reale Udienza). He became the driving force of the anti-feudal movement and led the Great Popular Uprising of 1796 (Grande sollevazione popolare del 1796), a Jacobin march on Cagliari. Defeated in Oristano in June 1796, he fled into exile in Paris, where he died in 1808.

• Carmelo Floris (1891–1960): A painter and printmaker born in Bono, who spent most of his life in Olzai. He fought with the Sassari Brigade in World War I, co-founded the Partito Sardo d’Azione, and became celebrated for landscapes, portraits, and woodcuts/etchings.

Festivals and Traditions

• January 17: Festival of Saint Anthony the Abbot, featuring the traditional large bonfire (Sa fagarone ’e Sant’Antoni) lit on the church parvis accompanied by local wine and Sas gogones de Sant’Antoni (focacce filled with sapa / cooked must).

• Late April / Early May: Festival of Our Lady of Bonaria.

• January 15, May 1, & First Sunday of September: Festivals of Saint Efisius.

• August 31: Sagra de San Raimondo Nonnato, featuring a historical costume parade re-enacting the 1796 anti-feudal resistance and the rolling of a decorated pumpkin (zucca) down San Raimondo hill to mock the retreat of royal troops under Pintoreddu.

• September 22: Festival of Saint Nicholas of Bari.

• Late May / Early June: Festival of Saint Catherine the Virgin.

• November 30: La Notte di Sant’Andria (The Night of Saint Andrew), an ancient pagan tradition featuring carved pumpkins (Zucche intagliate) illuminated by candles, with young people roaming the streets to taste new wine and collect sweets, nuts, and treats.

• Christmas to Epiphany: Festa di su Nenneddu, a centuries-old tradition involving nighttime house visits by a historic statue of the Baby Jesus accompanied by traditional choral singing.

• December 31: Festa de Sas Bulustrinas, where coins and candies are tossed from the parish balcony after the Te Deum.

Exploring the Center of Bono

• Municipal Sports Ground: Located off Via Cesare Battisti, home to Atletico Bono.

• Church of Our Lady of Bonaria: A modern structure consecrated in 2001, housing a 1903 statue of the patroness.

• Palazzetto dello Sport & Tennis Courts: Located near Via Mario Sironi.

• Piazza Gramsci: A tree-lined square connecting Viale San Francesco, Viale Italia, and Via Alessandro Manzoni.

• Church of Saint Efisius (Sant’Efisio): An 18th-century church dating back to at least 1765.

• San Raimondo Hill & Church of San Raimondo Nonnato: Built in the 18th century on the site of a former Mercedarian convent, housing the statue of San Raimondo alongside statues of Saint Lucy and Saint Francis of Assisi. The municipal amphitheater is also located on the hill.

• Town Hall (Municipio): Located at Corso Angioy 2.

• Piazza Bialada: Features murals depicting the Angioine revolutionary movement, a bronze bust of Giovanni Maria Angioy, and a historic 1886 fountain.

• Parish Church of San Michele Arcangelo: Built between the late 13th and early 14th centuries, featuring a pink trachyte façade, a rose window, a 15th-century wooden statue of Saint Michael, and crypts containing historical skeletal remains of an isolated population.

• Church of Saint Anthony the Abbot: An 18th-century single-nave church where the main community bonfire is lit.

• Former Bono Railway Station: Located at the eastern edge of the town along the former Tirso–Chilivani line, now repurposed as an ARST bus passenger office.

• Church of Saint Catherine the Virgin: Documented since 1539.

• Municipal Cemetery: Located along the southern exit of Corso Angioy.

Exploring the Surroundings of Bono

• Monte Rasu & Forest of Sos Nibberos: Reaching 1,258 meters at Sa punta Manna, Monte Rasu offers rich hiking trails and the Sos Nibberos nature reserve, protecting a rare grove of ancient yew trees (Taxus Baccata) spanning 5.5 hectares.

• Sas Doppias Complex Nuraghe: Located near the Mercorai rest stop on Monte Rasu, featuring a preserved tholos chamber and a bastioned layout.

• The Five Country Churches (Sas Cresias de Su Campu): Located in the Tirso valley (Su Campu) among the ruins of the ancient medieval village of Lorthia:

  • San Gavino: A 12th-century Romanesque church built entirely of red terracotta bricks, dedicated to the Turritanian martyrs.

  • San Nicola di Bari: Features a simple Romanesque white-plastered cap-roofed façade.

  • Santa Barbara: Rises over the ruins of a nuraghe.

  • Santa Restituta: The largest of the five, preserving a 17th-century wooden altar and local relics.

  • Sant’Ambrogio: The only church in the group facing east.