Villaurbana

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Villaurbana
coat of arms
Villaurbana (Italy)
Villaurbana
Country Italy
region Sardinia
province Oristano  (OR)
Local name Biddaubrana
Coordinates 39 ° 53 '  N , 8 ° 47'  E Coordinates: 39 ° 53 '0 "  N , 8 ° 47' 0"  E
height 80  m slm
surface 58.48 km²
Residents 1,567 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density 27 inhabitants / km²
Post Code 09080
prefix 0783
ISTAT number 095072
Popular name Villaurbanesi
Patron saint Santa Margherita
Website Villaurbana

Villaurbana is a Sardinian municipality with 1567 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019) in the province of Oristano .

geography

The village lies at the foot of the Monte Grighine and Monte Arci mountains . At 812 m, the latter is the highest mountain in Villaurbana and actually an extinct volcanic cone. Remains of obsidian can still be found in the area today . The landscape is more characterized by gentle hills.

The neighboring communities are: Allai , Mogorella , Oristano , Palmas Arborea , Ruinas , Siamanna , Usellus and Villa Verde .

Panoramic shot of Villaurbana

history

The name of the village comes from the Latin Villa Urbis , which means urban villa . This was chosen by the Roman inhabitants of "Forum Traiani", today's Fordongianus , who found a place in Villaurbana where they could recover from the plague of malaria . The founding of the place goes back to Roman times, evidence of which is provided by the remains of a farm road bordering the villages of Usellus and Mogorella . The numerous nuraghi , around 60 in number, prove that settlements are still older, even up to the Bronze Age .

Attractions

The well-preserved Nuraghe of San Giovanni near Villaurbana

Some notable nuraghi , where bronze figures of the nuragic culture have also been found in part, are San Giovanni , Bau Menda , Bidella , Cabras and Porcilis .

Today's inhabited center dates from the second half of the 12th century. The simple church of Santa Margherita was built in 1712 on the ruins of a previous church that dates back to the 13th century.

economy

Sardinian sheep are among the best dairy breeds in the world.

Villaurbana is characterized by agriculture and handicraft services such as construction companies, but iron processing small businesses and carpentry workshops as well as marble and other stone processing companies are among the sources of income for the population. The processing of agricultural products such as wheat, olives, grapes, vegetables and, to a lesser extent, fruit and sheep's milk is also traditional . This is processed in local cooperatives, among other things, into the very tasty Pecorino sardo , which does not need to fear comparison to Grana Padano .

Tourism played no role for a long time. But a few years ago , something was done for the growing tourism with the establishment of an agriturismo , which can be compared with the German "vacation on the farm". There rooms are offered and of course meals are offered with products from their own fields and livestock farms. Mass tourism, as we know it from the Italian coasts, does not exist because, among other things, Villaurbana is about 25 km away from the coast. There are interesting hiking trails that are framed by numerous natural springs and oak forests.

Not to be forgotten are the numerous guest workers who work all over Europe and invest part of the money they earn abroad in the construction industry or real estate in their home, which supports the local construction industry.

Antioco Zucca's birthplace near the center of Villaurbana was built around 1860.

Personalities

The philosopher Antioco Zucca was born in Villaurbana in 1870 and died in 1960 in the house where he was born.

Web links

Commons : Villaurbana  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.