Sassari is Sardinia's second largest city and the third municipality after Rome and Ravenna as far as its territorial extension. The city is situated on a limestone tableland, tilted towards the Golf of Asinara and is surrounded by a hilly area on the south-eastern part and vast plains called "Nura" to the northwest.
The coastline is 32 km. long, high, jagged, sandy and enriched with beautiful beaches like
Platamona, Fiume Santo,
Argentiera, or
Porto Ferro. It has a maritime climate and usually is mild and temperate.
The most important monumental buildings are: the St. Nicholas Church,
Palazzo Ducale, Palazzo Giordano,
Piazza Italia and the
Rosello Fountain. The St. Nicholas Church dominates the old town with its impressive, baroque faзade containing the statues of martyrs in niches. There is a bell-tower beside the church. Its interior dates back to the XIII Century and is in the gothic style. Its external part was constructed in the XVII Century. Among the numerous works of art, there are also: a marble altar from the middle of the XIX Century, a Madonna del Bosco painting from the XIV Century, a Spanish crucifix from the XVIII Century and the mausoleum of Placido Benedetto di Savoia - Lord of Moriana, brother of Vittorio Emmanuele I and Carlo Felice, who died in Sassari in 1802.
Palazzo Ducale was built at the end of the XVIII and beginning of the XIX Centuries by Antonio Manca, the marquise of Mores and duke of Asinara, most likely according to Carlo Valino's project. In 1900, the palace was purchased by the municipal administration and nowadays hosts the small town hall.
Palazzo Giordano was constructed in 1878 and is actually the headquarters of the Banco di Napoli. The beautiful rooms were decorated by Gugliemo Bilancioni.
Piazza d'Italia, constructed in 1872, spreads over 1 hectare and is also called "Sassari's lounge ("il salotto di Sassari") as it used to be an urban centre where new quarters were developed. There is the Province's Palace (il Palazzo della Provincia), constructed between 1873 and 1880 and the statue of Vittorio Emanuele II - the work of artist Giuseppe Sartorio (1899).
The Rosello Fountain was constructed by craftsmen in the XVII Century in a time when there was no aqueduct in the most important point of the city. Considering the abundance of water, a wash-house was built beside it. Nowadays, the area is less important and in a valley overlooked by the Rosello Bridge. The fountain is covered with marble, its walls are decorated with 12 lions with water flowing from their mouths. Metaphoric statues of the 4 seasons are in each corner and a statue of St. Gavino on horseback rests on the peak of 2 intertwined arches.
There are very nice churches in the old town - especially St. Mary's church where "candarieri" are kept (big, wooden machines that are carried during the procession by the historic neighbourhoods' representatives, the 14th of August every year during the "festa manna"). Another church that is worth a visit is the beautiful cathedral of St. Nicholas recently opened to visitors after a long period of restoration.
Вернуться
