Furtei and the Marmilla Region
The Historical Region of Marmilla
Marmilla is a rolling hill region in south-central Sardinia, characterized by fertile grain-producing plains, volcanic tablelands (such as the Giara di Gesturi and Giara di Siddi), and prominent conical hills like Las Plassas.
Overview of Furtei
Furtei (Furtèi in Sardinian) is a medieval-origin town located in the northern part of the South Sardinia province, near the Trexenta hills and the edge of the Campidano plain. Its economy combines cereal and vegetable agriculture, sheep-herding, and light manufacturing.
Origins & History:
Attested since 1341, the town’s name is of uncertain Latin origin. Inhabited since prehistoric times, medieval Furtei belonged to the Giudicato of Cagliari (Nuraminis curatoria) and was contested by the Giudicato of Arborea. Following Aragonese conquest, it was established as a Baronia in 1414 and granted to the Sanjust family, who governed it as a fief until the abolition of feudalism in 1839.
Key Sites & Cultural Highlights:
- Parish Church of Santa Barbara: A 12th-century basilica-plan church with pointed arches, housing an important 16th-century panel painting of the Crucifixion by Antioco Mainas (from the Stampace school) and a heavy silver processional cross weighing 5.5 kilograms.
- Church of San Narciso: A 12th-century rural church featuring asymmetrically styled stone architecture, once decorated with polychrome ceramic basins embedded in its facade.
- Roman Thermal Baths of Is Bangius: Archaeological remains of a Roman bath establishment discovered around 2000 in the local valley.
- Campu Braxiu Gold Mine: Located near the Sa Forada de S’Acqua dam, this site operated as Sardinia’s only gold mine from 1997 until its closure and corporate bankruptcy in 2008, having yielded roughly 2,500 kilograms of pure gold.