NUGHEDU SAN NICOLÒ

A predominantly hilly town that is part of the “Monte Acuto” region, characterized by reliefs that have an average altitude of 600 meters above sea level, but which also reach almost 850 meters of height of “Mount Pirastru”, and by important oak forests that alternate with conifers and other broadleaf trees.

There are several water sources and fountains a short distance from the town, and rivers that cross the town and that act as a border with other municipalities. Nughedu borders to the east with Pattada and for a certain stretch it is precisely the river “Chercos Longos” that marks the natural demarcation. The south-east border with Bultei and Anela is also marked for a certain stretch by the river “Campanas”. The town borders to the south with Bonorva and for a short stretch also with Bono. The western border is entirely with the town of Ittireddu, while the northern one is with the territory of Ozieri. There are several important rivers that flow along the territory of Nughedu, and there is one that crosses it from north to south named in two different ways. In the northernmost stretch (which then becomes “Rio Butule” in the territory of Ozieri), called “Rio s’Abba Salida”, due to its characteristic brackish waters, and “Riu s’Abba Niedda”, due to the dark color of its waters in that stretch south of the river that then flows into the territory of Bono. Finally, Nughedu is crossed from north to south by the provincial road 36 that leads from Ozieri to the Goceano region.

Seen from above, the town almost seems to have the structure of a six-pointed star, with the main square, “Piazza Marconi”, in the center, overlooked by some 19th-century noble palaces. From the square a road opens up and leads to the parish church of San Nicola di Bari, preceded by a long staircase with a war memorial at the base and three monuments inspired by the prehistoric age.

Near the central square there is a fountain dating back to the 19th century and built as a sort of temple, with nozzles on the four sides from which you can draw water, an essential element that the town is rich in.

The architecture of the noble palaces testifies to the importance of the families who lived in Nughedu, and who drew inspiration for their buildings from other important cities such as Ozieri. Examples of this are the covered terraces supported by columns that usually occupy the top floor of the building. Various statues and stone sculptures contribute to a form of embellishment of the town.

Of a unique peculiarity are the houses on the rock that are located at the entrance to the town and obtained by closing, with blocks of stone, cavities already existing and that formed three quarters of the perimeter and often also the roof above. Some of these houses in the rock have even two floors and show interesting architectural elements such as arched entrance doors, windows surmounted by architraves, and stone sculptures that embellish the facades.

Until recently, the town was only called Nughedu, a modern transformation of the toponym “Nuguedu” found in written sources in medieval times, and which would derive from a territorial characteristic, due to the massive presence of walnut trees documented until the twentieth century. The name then underwent slight transformations, such as “Nuguedo” “Nugueddu” or “Nugheddu”, to then establish itself in the denomination we know today, which due to the presence of another town in the province of Oristano also called Nughedu, in the second half of the nineteenth century, saw the addition of the name of “San Nicolò”, who is the patron saint of the town.

The economy is mainly based on agriculture and livestock farming, especially sheep for the production of milk and dairy products.

Cork extraction is very widespread thanks to the large presence of cork oak forests.

There are also small artisanal businesses for the processing of iron, wood, and leather.

As for the hospitality sector, in Nughedu there is a complex consisting of a hotel, spa, swimming pool and restaurant.

The parish church is that of San Nicola, which is located in the center of the town, not far from the central square, but in a dominant position. The building is modern, built in fact around the 60s of the last century on the plan of the pre-existing church of the same name and on two other parish buildings dedicated to Santa Croce and the Madonna del Rosario, dating back to the 17th century, which were demolished to allow the construction of the new large sanctuary. The facade is in exposed green and gray trachytic stone with an enormous arch that is reflected inward and that reaches almost to the upper summit, with the tall square bell tower, with clocks on four sides and three bells, incorporated into the building itself. The staircase that leads to the church is imposing and already by walking on the first steps at its foot you realize the majesty of the entire construction. The plan of the building is a Latin cross, with a single nave divided by arches into three bays that open into the side chapels. Behind the altar, in a sort of large niche that frames it, there is a large painting by the master Aligi Sassu, which represents Saint Nicholas irradiated by a beam of light above a crowd, in which important figures can also be recognized, and with the town of Nughedu depicted in the background.

To the north of the central square and not far from it stands the church of San Sebastiano, dating back to the 17th century and recently renovated, which served as a parish church during the reconstruction of the church of San Nicola. It is accessed via a staircase. The external walls are simple with stone used as a frame for the door and for an arch above. The interior has a single nave, and the wooden altar was made with the remains of the churches demolished to build the parish church.

Slightly outside the town in a western position stands the church of Sant’Antonio Abate dating back to the 17th century, built in Gothic style, although frequent renovations over time show a rather different configuration today. The façade has a large square door with an arch and an oculus above which stands the bell gable, while the interior has a single nave.

In a north-east position with respect to the center of the village there is the church of San Pietro, built in Gothic-Catalan style between the 15th and 16th centuries, which has also been the subject of more recent renovations. It is considered the first sanctuary of the village and today it appears as a very simple pink building on the outside and with a single internal nave divided by arches into three bays.

About 7 km from the village to the south there is the country church of Saints Cosma and Damiano. Built around the 13th century in late Romanesque style, this church also underwent major renovations in the 17th century and others over the years, but it remains a medium-sized church with a single central nave divided into three bays by arches.

Finally, the last country church in the territory of Nughedu is that of “Nostra Signora de su Canale”, so called because of the location of the valley in which it is located. It is a very recent church, built about a century ago in a position from which you can admire and control the entire landscape below. The site is about 12 km from the town in a southerly direction.

Archaeological evidence has been found mainly in the western and southern part of the territory of Nughedu. Examples of this are the various nuraghes, some very well preserved, the domus de Janas, the dolmens, the menhirs, the tombs of the giants, and the sacred wells. About 8 km from the town in a southerly direction there is the underground necropolis called “Sa Domo ‘e Pudda” (the house of the hen), dating back to about 5000 years ago and composed of two tombs dug into the rock, one of which is larger, inside which there is also a column and lateral cells, the other tomb instead has internal works such as channels to let the water flow. 1 km from this necropolis, another was found, the so-called necropolis of “S’Istria” (the barn owl), composed of four hypogea with great attention to detail, such as the frame decorations and the walls painted in red ochre, so much so that it is thought to have hosted people of a certain social importance, for example shamans. Dating back to the Nuragic period, in the locality of “Cuccuru Mudeju” a sacellum was found composed of a row of blocks arranged in a circle and a surrounding paved floor. During the excavations, the sculpture of a bull’s head in trachyte was also found, of which one can appreciate the eyes, the nostrils, and the upper part to which horns must have been connected.

Particularly interesting in the territory of Nughedu, not far from the town, is the cave “Sa Conca ‘e S’Abba”, a name deriving from the locality in which it is located. It has a total extension of 90 meters and is of particular importance for the animal species it hosts, including various types of insects, pseudoscorpions, and bats.