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 this article we have taken Torralba as a reference point from which to start and compiled a daily itinerary on what to see in the surroundings. Google maps, blogs, readings of all kinds and some photos on social networks helped us to create a very interesting route in this area, our article will therefore be based on the neighboring area around Torralba thanks to the discovery of sites of considerable interest.
What to see in Torralba
INDEX
TORRALBA
Considering its 1000 inhabitants it could be a small village without any interest, instead the town and the neighboring area can offer a day full of emotions and discoveries, especially at the level historical and archaeological. It was relaxing to walk in the middle of the narrow streets typical of a Sardinian hinterland town and chat quietly with some elderly local sitting on the benches of the small central square. A visit to the church of St. Peter the Apostle should be noted; built of limestone, it has represented the main church in the village since about 1600. What to see around Torralba? Beyond the valley of the nuraghi certainly the church of Our Lady of Cabu Abbas, characterized among other things by two different stones, trachytic inside and granitic outside, definitely worth seeing.
NURAGHE SANTU ANTINE
Only by taking the road inside the valley of the nuraghi do you immediately realize that the huge plain has something special. Nuraghi, domus de janas, necropolis, dolmens all scattered in one of the areas with the largest number of archaeological sites in Sardinia. The Santu Antine nuraghe is undoubtedly the most fascinating construction in Nuragic Sardinia. It consists of a three storey high central tower with bastions and three additional towers, long corridors and an inner courtyard with a well. Around the nuraghe there are the remains of a nuragic village that was still inhabited until Roman times.
We do not go into the characteristics of the nuraghe also because we do not have the studies to be able to do it (I suggest you take a look at the official website of the Nuraghe Santu Antine) but what we can tell you is that the best thing to do is to go to the site, any time of year, and take a guided tour (often included in the cost of the ticket). It will allow you to have a general understanding of the nuraghe and its fascinating history. Do you think that near the nuraghe there are the remains of a Nuragic village with circular huts and rectangular structures and only part of the area has been unearthed by archaeologists. There is so much to explore, what to see in Torralba and its surroundings? Definitely this nuraghe.
VALLEY OF THE NURAGHI
A fertile valley, an incredible number of nuraghi and archaeological sites still visible today . In fact, in the immediate vicinity of the nuraghe Santu Antine you can see nine other towers from the Bronze Age. The best known of those is Nuraghe Oes which is located next to the railway line in the territory of Giave. We visited the area where the Longu nuraghe and the Curzu nuraghe are located, a little further on along the same road you can see the fascinating Nuraghe Ruju , divided in half and covered by vegetation. We have therefore discovered what there is to see in the surroundings of Torralba from the nuragic point of view, now let's move on to the pre-nuragic.
TOMB OF THE GIANTS SA PEDRA LONGA
Another tangible example of how the ancestors of the Sardinian people left numerous legacies in our territory. Concrete evidence of how they lived, their lifestyle, habits, their beliefs. It is our task, however, to preserve these archaeological sites of extreme value as much as possible, it is our task to assure our great grandchildren that one day they will be able to see, discover, comment and study all this. The tomb of the giants Sa Pedra Londa , is another site in the municipality of Torralba. Another example is a total absence of preservation as its very bad state of conservation is fully visible. It is only possible to see the part of the exedra with the monolithic stele and a very short stretch of funerary corridor. The tomb body, on the other hand, is a mass of stones and earth visible through the profile. It is a pity, above all for its great historical and archaeological value. Continuing a little further on, about 3 km from the site, it is possible to see the Rio Mannu and the nature that surrounds it, position yourself on the edge and take some photos, with the right light a reflection on the spectacular river is created.
