Tergu

An Agrarian Village in the Anglona Region

Tergu (Zelgu) is an agricultural inland village located in the north-central part of the Province of Sassari within the Anglona plateau, set amidst a vast, verdant hilly landscape at an altitude of 280 meters above sea level. The municipal territory features an irregular geometric profile with pronounced altitudinal variations. The village is divided between the main settlement, the hamlets of Pulpaggiu and Bachile Corte, and the smaller urban nucleus of Caldeddu. Tergu is celebrated as one of the richest localities in Sardinia for history and archaeological findings.

Etymology and Economy

While written records on the exact origins of the name are scarce, popular legend attributes it to a princess who named the settlement after Gericon, a local shepherd chief who offered her hospitality. Over time, the name shifted from Gericon to Gerico, Zerigu, Zelgu, and finally Tergu. The local economy relies primarily on traditional agriculture—cultivating cereals, wheat, forage, vines, and fruit orchards—and livestock breeding. Handcrafting, particularly basket weaving, is also significant. A famous local specialty is the rare and prized Salame di Tergu, handcrafted from select lean pork leg, hand-cut with a small proportion of hard fat, and seasoned exclusively with salt and pepper.

Historical Overview

Tergu’s territory has been inhabited since pre-Nuragic and Roman-Byzantine times. During the Middle Ages, it became home to a prominent Benedictine monastery that attracted the interest of various popes, though it weakened under Pisan and Genoese influence and collapsed entirely following the Aragonese conquest when the monks abandoned the site in the late 15th century. Until the early 20th century, Tergu’s territory was split among Osilo, Castelsardo, and Nulvi, sometimes with borders running right through a single house. It officially became an autonomous municipality in 1980.

Architecture and Religious Heritage

• Abbey of Nostra Signora di Tergu (Abbey of Our Lady of the Rose of Jericho): Considered an architectural gem of medieval Sardinia, this abbey features a cross-shaped plan and is built from red trachyte and white limestone in the Pisan-Romanesque style. Commissioned by the Judges of Torres and consecrated around 1117, it once housed over a hundred Cassinese monks. The façade preserves a lower portal and an upper blind loggia with five arches surrounding a small white limestone rose window. Inside, an exquisite altarpiece (retablo) depicts scenes from the life of Mary, alongside the venerated marble statue of the Virgin and Child crowned in gold.

Surrounding Archaeology

The surrounding territory preserves numerous traces of ancient civilizations:

• Monte Elias Nuragic Fortress: Located on the border with Castelsardo, this site features ancient huts and bastions with remnants of cyclopean towers.

• Nuragic Complexes: The countryside contains various structures, including the protonuraghe Lu Nuracacciu, simple nuraghi (Cannas, Li Sesini, Lu Colbu), and complex nuraghi (De Fora, De Mesu, Tudderi).