Oristano: Sartiglia, City History and Coast
Accommodation in Oristano
Oristano combines an equestrian tournament of medieval origin, sacred art, archaeological collections, and visible traces of its urban history with the coastal area of Torre Grande. Sa Sartiglia is one of the last equestrian tournaments of medieval origin still held in the Mediterranean region. The oldest documentary evidence of the Sartiglia is a register in the Oristano city archives dating from 1547–1548. It mentions a “Sortilla” that was probably held in 1546 in honour of Emperor Charles V.
File:09170 Oristano, Province of Oristano, Italy - panoramio.jpg
Photo: trolvag via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sa Sartiglia and Its History
In Oristano, Sa Sartiglia traditionally takes place on the last Sunday and Tuesday of the Carnival season. The Centro di Documentazione sulla Sartiglia offers its own perspective on the history of this equestrian tournament. It is housed in the Palazzo Sanna at Via Eleonora 15. The building is a municipal facility that serves the activities of the Fondazione Oristano.
The centre displays historical memorabilia, costumes, masks, documents, photographs, and videos about Oristano’s equestrian tournament. It also explains the history of the Gremi, the figure of su Componidori, the star-jousting event, the Pariglie, and the rosettes. An interactive and multimedia exhibition about the equestrian tournament was opened there for the 2019 Sartiglia.
Archaeology, Sacred Art and Churches
The Antiquarium Arborense houses approximately 10,000 municipal cultural artefacts, most of them archaeological in nature. A particular focus is the Altarpiece Hall. It contains the San Martino altarpiece from the 15th century, the Santo Cristo altarpiece from 1533, and the Madonna dei Consiglieri altarpiece from 1565.
The Museo Diocesano Arborense is considered the largest diocesan museum in Sardinia. It houses a permanent collection of sacred artworks owned by the archdiocese. The Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta stands on the site of an earlier Byzantine church dedicated to the Archangel Michael.
The medieval sacred architecture also includes the complex of Chiesa e Monastero di Santa Chiara, which was built in 1343 by King Peter III of Arborea. The Church of Santa Chiara preserves a Gothic apse, as well as numerous remains of the side walls and the former monastery.
Fortifications and Coast
The medieval fortifications of Oristano were reinforced by Judge Mariano II at the end of the 13th century with defensive towers at the gates and 28 irregularly distributed square turrets. Some of these turrets are still visible today. At Torre Grande, a sandy coastal strip stretches between the Spanish Tower and Villa Baldino.
At Torre Grande beach, individual sports such as beach ball games are possible, while swimming, surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing are possible in the water, provided that distancing rules are observed. Oristano can be reached from Cagliari-Elmas Airport or from the port of Cagliari. When choosing a hotel in Oristano, you can consider whether the city’s historic sites, the coast of Torre Grande, or both should be the focus of your travel plans.
More Destinations in Sardinia
If you would like to broaden your selection, you can find more destinations here: Terralba, Ghilarza, Mogoro, Mandriola, Santa Caterina Di Pittinuri, Santu Lussurgiu, Sa Rocca Tunda, Nureci.
To the higher-level travel overview: Oristano.
