{"id":11705,"date":"2019-11-23T22:57:55","date_gmt":"2019-11-23T22:57:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/377project.com\/?p=11705"},"modified":"2022-01-31T17:13:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T17:13:00","slug":"350-377-villanovafranca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/377project.com\/en\/350-377-villanovafranca\/","title":{"rendered":"350\/377: Villanovafranca"},"content":{"rendered":"

INSPIRATION<\/h4>\n
\"Villanovafranca\"
The Civic Tower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On a grey and rainy day I descend a hilly area that brings me back to Marmilla<\/strong>, passing by the village of San Simone in the territory of Escolca<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I arrive at the Town Hall of Villanovafranca<\/strong>, on a square where the Civic Tower dominates, and I am greeted by the policeman Sergio who, instructed by the Mayor Matteo, will be my guide for the morning.<\/p>\n

\"Villanovafranca\"
Lanterns at the Archaeological Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Archaeological Museum<\/strong> also overlooks the square in the building of the former Monte Granatico. Here I can admire a whole series of finds from the Su Mulinu<\/em> nuraghe including an impressive number of oil lamps, apparently one thousand five hundred. This nuraghe was an important place of worship in the late Nuragic period. Other finds come from the Tuppedili<\/em> and Barraca de is dragonis<\/em> nuraghi. I pause in the interesting tactile section dedicated to the discovery of the shapes of the finds for the blind.<\/p>\n

\"Villanovafranca\"
Sacrificial altar inside the nuraghe Su Mulinu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Taken the car, we head to see the site of the Su Mulinu nuraghe<\/strong>, on a hill from which, even on such a grey day, one can enjoy a view that extends throughout the Marmilla. The site is well managed and there are many accessible areas. The most interesting is the room where there is a sacrificial altar<\/strong> in the shape of a nuraghe, one of the most beautiful artefacts I have ever seen. The whole site was also used extensively during the epochs following the Nuragic period.<\/p>\n

We walk along the municipal kart track San Lorenzo<\/strong>, currently closed, to arrive at the country church of the Madonna della Salute, recently built and surrounded by centuries-old olive trees.<\/p>\n

\"Villanovafranca\"
An unmissable element in the towns of Sardinia: the “Apixedda”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Back in the village, I settle into the accommodation and wait for the rain to stop before going out for a stroll through the deserted streets of this village, built almost entirely of limestone and marl<\/strong> from the surrounding hills. Many houses have large courtyards that open onto the street through important stone portals<\/strong> and wooden doors.<\/p>\n

\"Villanovafranca\"
The chapel of souls next to the old cemetery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I walk up to the parish church of San Lorenzo<\/strong> next to the old cemetery and the chapel of souls. Inside there are important furnishings and precious marbles, the sacristy is frescoed and there are ancient paintings portraying Vincenzo Raimondo Porru<\/strong>, presbyter from Villanovafranca, as well as a linguist famous for his Italian-Sardinian dictionary of 1832. In this area there is also a small private chapel once owned by the Santa Cruz family and the remains of old Austrian prisons.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SOUND FRAGMENTS<\/h4>\n\n