Martis and the Anglona Region
The Historical Region of Anglona
The Anglona is a historical region of northern Sardinia overlooking the Gulf of Asinara, bounded by the sea to the north, the Coghinas River to the east, Mount Sassu to the south, and the Silis River and Mount Pilosu to the west. Its terrain is predominantly hilly, composed of volcanic and calcareous tablelands.
Overview of Martis
Martis (Maltis in Sardinian) is a hill municipality situated at 300 meters above sea level on the Anglona tableland. Its economy centers on agriculture (cereals, wheat, vegetables, forage, vines, and olives) and livestock breeding.
Origins & History: Attested since 1341, the name likely derives from the Latin Fanum Martis (“Temple of Mars”), referencing a Roman building once located on Mount Franco. The territory preserves numerous Pre-Nuragic archaeological sites and twelve Nuragic nuraghi. During the Middle Ages, it belonged to the Giudicato of Logudoro (Anglona curatoria), passing to the Doria family, the Arborea judiciary, and later Spanish and Piedmontese feudal rule until its 1839 state redemption.
Key Sites & Cultural Highlights:
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Carrucana Petrified Forest: A 100-square-kilometer paleobotanical site (Unicum Paleobotanico) containing silicified carob tree trunks dating back to the Lower Miocene (approx. 20 million years ago), now organized as an open-air paleobotanical park.
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Church of San Pantaleo: A 14th-century Romanesque-Gothic church built with calcareous ashlar masonry. It features a stone-strombated portal and a bicolored rose window, alongside a diocesan sacred art section (Sacristy of San Pantaleo) that preserves a 1595 altarpiece by Mannerist painter Andrea Lusso.
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Triulintas Waterfall: A seasonal 15-meter waterfall located within the Badde Traes gorge, historically used to power a local watermill.