NULE

Located in the central-northern part of Sardinia, in the region known as Goceano, Nule is considered a predominantly mountainous municipality, with numerous reliefs that exceed 600 meters above sea level.

The landscape is very varied, with mountains alternating with valleys, many of which are crossed by important watercourses, such as the river Tirso, which crosses the territory in the north-western part. Rivers are widespread throughout the territory of Nule, as are springs, and many of which are appreciated for the beneficial qualities of their waters.

The flora species, especially widespread in the woods, are typical of the Mediterranean scrub, and range from tall trees, including the different varieties of oak and wild olive trees, to shrubs, including cistus and myrtle. The dense woods are home to species of wild fauna, wild boars and foxes above all, but also birds and other kinds of animals.

The territory of Nule has an irregular shape with a long stretch to the west that cuts the border with Benetutti in a straight line. With the same town, Nule also borders for a part to the south, and divides the other part of the southern border with Orune, in the province of Nuoro. A long river, which takes different names depending on the location it crosses, marks the entire southern border with the two towns.

The eastern border is with the territory of Bitti, and in a certain stretch we can find the relief of “Su Monte Accaddadu”, one of the highest and most characteristic peaks of the territory of Nule. The northern border is for the most part with Osidda, and a watercourse marks a good part of it. Finally, the northwestern part of the territory borders with Pattada.

The town has developed over the years around the winding main road, which is also a provincial road and connects Benetutti on one side and Bitti on the other. The historic centre is in fact characterized by narrow and sometimes paved streets with several open spaces and small squares that intersect the streets.

The development of the town centre towards the north-east, always with the reference point of the provincial road, sees a wider road network and more regular buildings. It is precisely along the main road that many artisan, economic, social and aggregation activities are found.

One of the most visited places in Nule is the “Colle di San Paolo” (hill of Saint Paul), both for its altitude, from which you can dominate a good part of the Goceano region, and for the remains of the church of the same Saint, and as a place where other archaeological finds have been found, such as a large monolith now transported elsewhere, and the presence of the old cemetery. This place, in the north-west part of the town, is today a park equipped for moments of relaxation and refreshment especially during the summer days, and from its belvedere you can admire a boundless panorama.

The origin of the name Nule is not very clear, we can only speak of theories but not certainties. One of these theories states that the name derives from the Phoenician word “Nahal” which means “possession”, although it is not known which possessions were being referred to.

As for the name “Nuel” found in some papers, it can be assumed that it was a writing or transcription error, since this toponym also does not lead to significant explanations. The doubt remains as to whether Nuel was the original name, and whether the change to Nule occurred after it, to avoid having the name of a place ending with a consonant.

The economy of Nule is mainly based on livestock farming, both sheep and cattle, for the production of milk and the transformation into cheeses including “perette” and “provole”, in addition to the more common “pecorino”, and also based on agriculture, with the exploitation of the flat lands from which wheat is obtained for the production of flour to be transformed into bread and sweets, but also lands intended for viticulture and olive production.

As for craftsmanship, Nule is famous throughout Sardinia especially for its textile production, with examples of carpets and tapestries exported all over the world. Some artisan workshops produce unique pieces that are not just carpets, but real works of art, passing on the old traditions, and projecting these processes into the future thanks to the use of new techniques and fabrics.

The parish church of Nule is dedicated to Santa Maria Bambina. It is located in the western part of the town, and according to two stone carvings found inside, the church should date back to the early 17th century, although some decorations and styles used inside would lead one to think that the structure is from an even earlier era. The façade has a gabled shape and is made of exposed granite blocks, the door is framed by an arch of darker stone to highlight the contrast, and the upper oculus also has this detail. Next to the façade there is a bell tower also made of granite blocks and square in shape with a sort of eight-sided lantern on the top. This church has the particularity of also having another bell tower, almost unique in Sardinia, of a cylindrical shape, which has three bell gables on the top arranged in a triangle around a spire. The interior consists of a single nave divided by arches into five bays, with four chapels on each side that house small altars dedicated to various saints.

Connected to the parish church is the church of Santa Croce, which according to research is the oldest church in the town, dating back to the 16th century. The entrance today is through a door on a side wall, while the main entrance and the facade were demolished to make room for other structures. The interior has a multi-storey layout and has a single nave divided into three bays and a wooden roof.

Also in the western part of the town, but further south than these two buildings, stands the church of the Beata Vergine del Rimedio, built around the middle of the 17th century. The building is painted white on the outside with a grey plinth, the gabled facade has a square door embellished with an arch above, while a tympanum characterizes the entire upper part which has a bell gable on top. In the side walls you can notice buttresses, and a secondary entrance on the left side. The interior has a single nave and there are no side chapels.

To the north of the parish church, a short distance from it is the church of San Giovanni. The current building was built quite recently following the collapse of a previous church dedicated to the same Saint. It has a façade decorated with two semi-columns at the lateral ends that connect to a large upper tympanum above which there is a bell gable. The square door is embellished with an upper arch and opens towards the interior consisting of a single nave.

In the centre of the town, a little further north of the main street, is the church of the Beata Vergine dell’Assunta. It dates back to the 16th century and in the past it was the parish church of Nule. The building has a rectangular plan, externally it is painted completely white and the large façade has a square door with a rectangular window above it and with a large bell gable above. There is also a second side entrance and small square windows allow light to enter inside. Going up some steps you access the interior which is divided into three naves divided by arches. The entire roof is made of wood as is the altar.

The last church in the town of Nule is that of San Pietro, built in the 17th century near a previous church that collapsed and dedicated to San Nicola. It has a simple gabled façade with a bell gable on top and an arched door that leads to the interior consisting of a single nave.

The territory of Nule is rich in archaeological finds dating back especially to the Nuragic period, and the most representative monument is considered by many to be the nuraghe Voes. It is located about 6 km east of the town near the provincial road that leads to Bitti, and is a complex nuraghe formed by a central tower and three lateral towers joined by a bastion. The central tower must have originally been developed on three levels, but at present only two of them remain. The corridors allow the passage from one tower to the other, and a spiral staircase leads to the upper floor. Inside there are several openings, slits and niches, while outside you can see the remains of huts, which suggest the existence of a village or a human settlement.

Not far from this nuraghe there is also another important archaeological site that includes a nuraghe, a spring, a menhir and a probable village, in the complex called “Istelai”, a name probably deriving from the stele found on the site.

Another very important archaeological site in the territory of Nule is that of Santu Lesei, which although it has not been adequately excavated and studied, demonstrates the presence of the remains of a nuraghe, a dolmen, a wall and the remains of a tomb of the giants. In the complex, ceramic fragments dating back to different eras have been found, but the most interesting find was undoubtedly the “Bronzetto di Nule”, a metal statuette representing an animal, probably a horse, or a bull, but with a long neck and the head of a man. The carvings seem to create clothing on the statue, some kind of harness, while the legs resemble closed human fists. The statuette almost certainly dates back to the 8th and 7th centuries BC and is now in the Archaeological Museum of Cagliari.