Mara and the Meilogu Region
The Historical Region of Meilogu (Logudoro Meilogu)
The Meilogu region, whose name translates from Mediu logu (“in the heart of the Giudicato”), occupies the central-western core of the historic Logudoro territory in northern Sardinia. Characterized by volcanic plateaus, rolling plains, springs, and streams, its economy relies heavily on cereal cultivation, vegetable farming, and extensive sheep dairying.
Overview of Mara
Mara is an agricultural hill village with a predominantly pastoral economy, situated west of the Meilogu plateau among hills covered in Mediterranean vegetation and valleys watered by springs and streams.
Origins & History: The name stems from the pre-Roman Sardinian appellative Mara, meaning “marsh” or “swamp”. Formed around the 14th century, medieval Mara belonged to the Giudicato of Logudoro (Nurcara curatoria) and grew near the Castle of Bonu Ighinu, built by the Doria family and later sold to the Judge of Arborea. Following Aragonese conquest and various feudal shifts (Monteleone County, Bonvehì Baronia under the De Ferreras, Manca, and Amat families), it remained a feudal territory until the abolition of feudalism in 1838.
Key Sites & Cultural Highlights:
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Parish Church of San Giovanni Battista: A 16th-century church featuring a single nave, a Baroque high altar, and a bell tower that stands as a fine example of Catalan-Gothic architecture.
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Oratorio della Santa Croce: Built in the 17th century and serving as the oratory of the Holy Cross Confraternity until its wartime conversion and subsequent restoration.
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Castle of Bonvehì (Bonu Ighinu): Perced on a conical hill at 510 meters elevation, built by the Doria family in the 13th century as a military outpost and dismantled by Aragonese forces in 1435.
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Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Bonu Ighinu: A Rococo-style sanctuary built in 1797 over the former parish church of the extinct medieval village of Bonu Ighinu.
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Filiestru Cave: Explored starting in 1971, this cave yielded deep stratigraphic deposits that defined the Filiestru culture of the Late Early Neolithic.
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Sa Ucca ’e Su Tintirriocu Cave (Bonu Ighinu Cave): Excavated since 1969, this site yielded rich archaeological materials that defined the Middle Neolithic Bonu Ighinu culture.