We are in the territory of the Meilogu , a mainly volcanic area that with the characteristic conical hills make their appearance very unique in the context of a geologically ancient land. In this area the soils are among the most fertile and the whole area is rich in pastures. In our itineraries we have analyzed a large area and in this article we have taken as a reference point from which to start Thiesi , a village of about 3000 inhabitants which according to some sources was founded by Jews deported by the Romans. Before making the itinerary I asked myself, what to see in Thiesi and its surroundings? Google maps, blogs, readings of all kinds and some photos on social networks helped us to create an itinerary in this area, our article will therefore be based on the neighboring area around Thiesi thanks to the discovery of sites of considerable interest, both natural and historical and artistic.
What to see in Thiesi
INDEX
THIESI
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, we took Thiesi as the starting point of our excursion because it is the largest of the whole area and therefore the best known. Let's start with one of its peculiarities. The name includes a h and you think that ancient papers showed the name of the village without h, so it was called Tiesi . Who changed it? We do not know. The history of Thiesi is long and datable from the Middle Ages, the territory was disputed a little by everyone including Doria, Malaspina and also by the Giudicato of Arborea. Currently it is a town of almost 3000 inhabitants that gathers around itself a huge historical and archaeological heritage as we have already said thanks to the valley of the Nuraghi, the necropolis, domus de janas and Dolmen. We would like to show an important aspect of the country, over the years it has in fact become the center of the major dairy industries in Italy, their greatest economic income comes in fact from the industrial production of agri-food and specifically of the cheese. At this point we focus on another aspect: What to see around Thiesi?
SAINT PETER OF SORRES
A few kilometers from Thiesi is Borutta, with its magnificent monastery of San Pietro di Sorres . Majestic, imposing, decent. These are some of the terms that I thought of when I saw both externally and internally the monastery. The site is the only Benedictine abbey in Sardinia , it only settled in the mid-twentieth century within an ancient structure of extraordinary historical and artistic value. Among other things, the monastic community of St. Peter lives according to the canons of Benedictine monastic life, alternating work and prayer, hospitality and spiritual guidance. The side walls, the facade and the interior are architectural elements of incredible calibration, even for us who are not great art experts. A nice discovery.
NECROPOLIS OF MUSEDDU
A volcanic area, a small mountain called Cuccureddu, a limestone outcrop. This is the geology that identifies exactly the area where the magnificent Museddu necropolis , belonging to the municipality of Cheremule , are located. We are talking about 5,000 years ago, and scholars place this site in the Neolithic Ozieri culture. The site apparently seemed wonderful to us but it is clearly evident that it is in a state of decay and this is mainly due to the natural flaking typical of the rock. Let's make a premise by talking about the necropolis in Sardinia. The same are composed of hypogean tombs of the domus de janas type , and even if present in other Mediterranean sites, in Sardinia they have acquired an extraordinary character especially for the architectural aspects and in many cases for the rich decorations. A history of thousands of years for Sardinia that can be retraced also thanks to these sites of enormous historical value. Do you want to explore the surroundings of Thiesi? It is Sardinia.
The Museddu necropolis is made up of 18 domus de janas, with a simple mono or bicellular planimetric development. Regarding the details of the necropolis we advise you to take a look at this link , they are perfectly explained. For us travelers and discoverers, however, one room or burial place in particular, called Tomba Branca , amazed us. First of all it was positioned a little isolated from all the others and its peculiarity is given by the presence of 18 petroglyphs , some almost 30 high cm. It is about figures stylized anthropomorphic, with a filiform body and a head represented by a circle, some also had their arms turned upwards. Scholars think that the arrangement of some figures with raised forearms suggests that a dance is being held. Among all the figures, one in particular caught my attention, it was in an upside-down position, why? It is thought to be the deceased in the descent .... into the underworld ! Beauty, charm and even a bit of mystery, to be visited absolutely.
CHEREMULE
In the same area that we have analyzed through our pleasant excursion we find a very small town with just over 400 inhabitants called Cheremule, what to see in Thiesi and surroundings? Probably some of you have already heard of it, in fact in 2010 the funeral of the president emeritus of the Republic was held in a strictly private form Cossiga. He was particularly fond of the small village above all because his parents were born there. Cheremule is located in a spectacular position because it is surrounded by everything a tourist and traveler would expect from a Sardinian hinterland town. Nature , with the Tippiri wood and extinct volcanoes; history , with the valley of the nuraghi that we have extensively described above; gastronomy , like every small village and with a lot of tradition and art . The small village is known for its characteristic murals , which makes the town decisively enter our special TOP 20 in Sardinia. We have only put some photos but I assure you that there are many more, I leave you the decision to see them live.
Although few people know it, Sardinia is the home of muralism in Italy; think of the fact that some of its villages are home to some of the most beautiful murals from around the world. A creative artistic form born from protest movements and which combines the social with a great aesthetic value. The paintings are generally made by several people and we can read in these paintings the daily life of the local community, but also the malaise, hope and much more. This is art, a form that Sardinia shows through extraordinary drawings on the walls, and those of Cheremule , took our breath away. Simply walk through the streets, stop and admire their beauty trying, above all, to grasp the meaning and artistic vein of the painter. We have done it.
FOREST ON TIPPIRI
The nature. We are always in the municipality of Cheremule, near Bonorva (take a look at our article about it) . The town is surrounded by a beautiful green and we can not help but mention the village which is located at the base of Mount Cuccuruddu . This is Su Tippiri and unfortunately we personally do not have the opportunity to enter inside, perhaps with some nice excursions and with a local guide. The Su Tippiri Wood is the typical Sardinian downy and holm oak wood with a large amount of undergrowth , so much so that in some cases it is difficult to walk the various paths present (on notices of some local we found in the area). It is not only flora but also fauna, it is in fact a permanent oasis of wildlife protection where foxes, weasels, hedgehogs and birds such as partridges, buzzards and goshawks live. Worth a thorough visit, what to see in Thiesi and surroundings? Much.
