Monteleone Rocca Doria and the Sassarese Region
The Historical Region of Sassarese (Logudoro Turritano)
The Sassarese (Su Tataresu) is an agropastoral subregion in northwestern Sardinia featuring rolling plains, volcanic hills, and significant medieval and prehistoric heritage.
Overview of Monteleone Rocca Doria
Monteleone Rocca Doria is a small hilltop community situated at 368 meters above sea level overlooking the artificial lake formed by the Temo River. It is inhabited by a very small population and has an economy based primarily on agropastoralism, sheep breeding, and cereal cultivation.
Origins & History: The name appears in 1341 as Montis leonis, derived from its feudal coat of arms depicting a lion. The suffix Rocca Doria was added in 1862 to honor the Doria family, who built the castle on the hill (Su Monte) in the 12th century and governed the region for three centuries. In 1436, after a grueling three-year siege against a coalition of Sassari, Alghero, and Bosa allied with the Aragonese, the fortress was captured by starvation, sacked, and razed, with a death sentence imposed on anyone attempting to rebuild it. Survivors fled to found Villanova Monteleone, and the site remained abandoned until Emperor Charles V granted permission for its reconstruction in 1536.
Key Sites & Cultural Highlights:
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Parish Church of Santo Stefano: Features a late-Romanesque and Gothic structure containing two naves, the northernmost of which dates to the 13th century and originally served as the Doria family chapel.
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Castle of the Dorias (Castello dei Doria): Built by the Doria family in the 12th century on the high ridge of Su Monte, severely damaged during the 1436 siege.
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Church of Sant’Antonio Abate (Sant’Antonio de Su Fogu): A 12th-century Gothic-Romanesque church featuring a rose window and carved archway, which served as the parish church of the original medieval village before its destruction.
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Lake Monteleone (Upper Temo Dam): An artificial reservoir created by damming the upper Temo River, known for its rich fish populations and local legends regarding the mythical “Green Horses” (Caddos Birdes) of the valley.