Busachi and the Barigadu Region
The Historical Region of Barigadu
Barigadu is a historical district in the Province of Oristano bordering the southern shores of Lake
Omodeo. Characterized by cork oak forests, rolling hills, and the Tirso River basin, the region has
an ancient agropastoral tradition.
Overview of Busachi
Busachi (Busache in Sardinian) is an agropastoral village set in a natural amphitheater on the high
left bank of the Tirso River. The town is split into three main districts: Busach’e Susu (upper historic
core), Busach’e Josso (lower quarter), and Campu Majore. The town is known for its red trachyte
stone architecture, traditional horizontal-loom textile embroidery, and women who continue to wear
traditional daily attire.
Its culinary heritage centers on Su Succu, a celebratory handmade pasta dish cut into fine noodles,
cooked in a rich multi-meat broth (mutton, beef, poultry) seasoned with saffron, fresh cheese, and
aged pecorino.
Origins & History:
The name stems from pre-Roman roots (Busa, indicating a thicket) or the Latin
family name Byzacius. Settled since the Neolithic (over seventy domus de janas tombs exist
nearby), the town also contains Punic, Roman, and medieval sites. Under the Giudicato of
Arborea, it served as the administrative center (curatoria) of Parte Barigadu. In 1571, the noble
Torresani family established the monastery of Su Collegiu for the Jesuits and later founded the
Dominican convent of Su Cunventu.
Artistic Connections: Painter Filippo Figari lived in Busachi between 1912 and 1914, drawing
inspiration from local wedding customs to paint his famous triptych Traditional Marriage in Sardinia
for the Cagliari City Hall. Friulian photographer Ugo Pellis extensively documented the town’s
traditional lifestyle in the 1930s.
Key Sites & Cultural Heritage:
• Parish Church of Sant’Antonio da Padova: Consecrated in 1759, this Catalan-Gothic and
Baroque church features a pink trachyte facade and a 48-meter-tall square bell tower. Its
three-naved interior contains 18th-century altarpieces by Gregorio Are and 19th-century
canvases by Giovanni Marghinotti.
• Su Collegiu (Jesuit Monastery) & Textile Museum: Built in 1577 in Sardinian-Catalan style,
this former monastery complex features a trachyte cloister, vaulted dining halls, and student
quarters. It houses the Museum of Traditional Costume and Linen Processing, exhibiting
regional attire and linen manufacturing tools.
• Su Cunventu (Church of San Domenico): A 1571 former Dominican convent church built
by the Torresani family, restored to host permanent exhibitions of artwork by Filippo Figari
and photography by Ugo Pellis.
• Sanctuary of Santa Susanna (Moddamene): Located in a rural valley on the site of a
deserted medieval village, this 1349 Gothic church features a 1755 interior fresco cycle
narrating the saint’s life, a Romanesque bell-gable, 14th-century embedded ceramic tiles, and
surrounding pilgrim quarters (cumbessias).
• Eleonora d’Arborea Dam (Diga Cantoniera): Constructed between 1982 and 1996 along
the Tirso River, this 100-meter-tall concrete gravity dam enlarged Lake Omodeo into one of
Europe’s largest artificial reservoirs, submerging the older 1920s Santa Chiara Dam.
• Sa Jacca Corridor Nuraghe: An archaic tricuspid protonuraghe built of trachyte and granite,
featuring two entrances, a corridor with lateral niches, and a transition to early tholos-style
roof vaulting.
• Campu Majore Necropolis: A rock-cut cemetery consisting of twenty-four multi-chambered
domus de janas tombs carved into a trachyte ledge, dated to the Ozieri culture (Late
Neolithic).