Villaurbana

Overview and Geography

Villaurbana (Biddaubrana in Sardinian) is an agropastoral municipality of 1,491 inhabitants located at an altitude of 84 meters in the Campidano di Oristano subregion. Positioned in the valley between the volcanic massif of Mount Arci and Mount Grighine, its territory spans an irregular elevation profile ranging from 48 to 630 meters above sea level. The landscape is defined by agricultural crops, cork-oak forests (sughere), wild olives (olivastri), downy oaks (rovelle), and extensive pastures.

Etymologically, the name derives from the Latin Villa urbana (“urban estate” or “city farm”), likely functioning in antiquity as an agricultural and pastoral estate serving the nearby Romanized Punic-Roman port city of Othoca (modern Santa Giusta).

Economy and Culture

• Agropastoral Economy: Agriculture revolves around cereals, wheat, vegetables, fodder, vineyards, olive groves, citrus, and orchards. Livestock raising includes cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, and poultry.

• Homemade Bread & S’Incungia:

  • S’Incungia (Early July): A traditional harvest festival organized by the Su Massaiu association that reenacts manual wheat reaping (mietitura) on the first day and threshing (trebbiatura) on the second, featuring antique tractor gatherings, vintage farm machinery displays, and folk parades.

  • Sagra del Pane Fatto in Casa (Late October): Held as part of the Sapori di Villaurbana showcase in the historic center, celebrating traditional home-baked Sardinian bread (su pani fattu in domu).

• Festivals and Traditions: Cultural folklore is preserved by Associazione Biddobrana. Key celebrations include:

  • Festa di Santa Margherita (March 5 & July 20): Dual celebration of the town’s patron saint; March 5 features religious rites, while July 20 (Festa grande) includes ox-drawn processions, public dancing (su ballixeddo), poetry contests (sa gara), and spinning wheel pyrotechnics (s’arroda).

  • Festa di San Crispo (September 1–2): Celebrated in the San Crispo neighborhood and countryside chapel.

  • Festa di Santa Greca (September): Devotional local feast.

History

Settled since the Nuragic era (with scores of nuraghi across its territory) and Roman times (evident in Roman road traces near Usellus and Mogorella). In the Middle Ages, it belonged to the Giudicato of Arborea (Curatoria of Campidano di Simaxis). In 1395, representatives from Villaurbana were signatories to the peace treaty between Royal Aragon and Marion IV/Eleanor of Arborea.

Following the fall of Arborea, it entered the Marquisate of Oristano, passed to the Carroz family under Aragonese rule, and in 1767 was incorporated into the Marquisate of Arais under the Flores Nurra family until feudal abolition in 1839. Formerly part of Cagliari province, it joined Oristano province upon its creation in 1974.

Main Landmarks and Architecture

Town Center

• Parish Church of Santa Margherita: Perched on a hill above the main square, accessible via a stone staircase. Originating from a local legend of Usellus shepherds finding a statue in the woods, the present building dates to 1712 (with records back to 1635). Features a simple plastered façade with a bifora window, a single nave with four side chapels, and an elevated rib-vaulted presbytery.

• Town Hall (Municipio): Located at Via Roma 24, directly facing the parish church hill.

• War Memorial (Monumento ai Caduti): Located at the corner of Via Roma and Via Vittorio Emanuele, featuring a truncated pyramid base topped by a bronze statue of Winged Victory.

• Sports Facilities: Includes the Antioco Zucca Sports Complex in Is Tramatzus (grass-dirt football pitch, sub-grandstand athletics track, synthetic calcetto pitch, tennis court) and the Via Mannu multi-purpose gym.

Archaeological Sites and Surrounding Area

• Nuraghe Bau Mendula: An important complex trachite nuraghe standing at 87 meters elevation on the border between Villaurbana and Oristano. Features a 10-meter-diameter central keep (Torre A) with an intact internal spiral staircase, an accessible secondary tower (Torre B) with a complete tholos roof and two levels of loopholes, a central courtyard, and an extensive surrounding village.

• Nuraghe San Giovanni: A quadrilobed tholos nuraghe built of basalt blocks situated at 80 meters elevation on the Siamanna border, featuring an intact tholos chamber, a linteled entrance corridor, and an attached Middle Bronze Age hut village.

• Country Church of San Crispo: Rebuilt in 2002 on a hill outside town, honoring Saint Crispus (ruler of the Corinthian synagogue converted by St. Paul).

• Other Prehistoric Remains: The territory contains between 40 and 58 Nuragic sites, including the Cradaxius I & II giant’s tombs, Nuraxeddu and Sa Mitza protonuraghi, and the Sa Mitza sacred spring.