TULA

The town of Tula is located in central-northern Sardinia, not far from the north coast, about 25 km as the crow flies, it falls within the Logudoro region, and within it in the sub-region of “Monte Acuto”. Its territory, which extends longitudinally from north to south, is considered predominantly hilly, but also has notable differences in altitude.

The northwestern part of the territory, which borders Erula, is characterized by a mountain range that well exceeds 600 meters in altitude, with the highest peak, Mount “Su Castedduzzu”, at 701 meters. Here are the largest forests in the territory of Tula, including pines, oaks, wild olive trees and Mediterranean scrub shrubs. And it is on these reliefs, thanks to their altitude, that the wind farm “Sa Turrina Manna” was built, which stands out on the plateau even from long distances.

Finally, the conformation of this part of the territory, its scenic beauty, and the road system created to reach the different parts of the woods present have been chosen for years as a fixed stop for the car competitions of the Rally of Sardinia and the WRC world championship.

Tula borders Ozieri to the southwest and south, and the southern border is marked by the river “Riu su Rizzolu” that flows into the artificial lake of Coghinas. The southern and south-eastern portion of the territory of Tula has a completely different conformation from the northern part, being characterized by vast flat expanses and fertile lands that have allowed the development of agriculture over the years, and the toponyms of the localities, for example “su Campu” (the field), or “su Pianu” (the plateau), fully describe its peculiarities.

The watercourses that flow into Lake Coghinas are very numerous both to the south and to the east and a good part of the eastern border that Tula shares with Oschiri is located right in the middle of the lake.

The last town bordering Tula for a short stretch to the north is Tempio Pausania, from which it is separated by the river Coghinas, the main northern tributary of the lake of the same name.

As well as the shape of the entire territory, the profile of the town also follows a profile that develops from north to south. The original historic centre is located in the northern part and developed around the parish church of Sant’Elena. The architecture of the centre is quite simple, with buildings that do not exceed three floors in height, while the extension of the town towards the south has seen the birth of more regular and structured road networks with more space for streets, squares, and for homes.

The town is very pretty and tidy, there are several parks and green spaces, sports centres, statues and fountains.

The entire town is crossed by the provincial road 2 that connects it to the south with the state road 729 towards Olbia, and to the north with the state road 672 that leads to Tempio Pausania.

The town of Tula has a hamlet called “Sa Sia” to the north of the town, distant about 10 km, where today few inhabitants live.

The origin of the name Tula is to be referred to the characteristics of its territories, especially the fertile ones in the valley, and the word “Tula” was already used in pre-Roman times to indicate a portion of land worked for sowing. But even the subsequent era characterized by the use of Latin finds a similar word “Tabula” which indicated a plot of land.

As for the hamlet “Sa Sia”, it is assumed that the name derives from the word with which in ancient Sardinian “via” (street, way) was indicated, meaning a communication road, and due to the assonance between sia and via, the hypothesis may be plausible. The “via” referred to was probably the one that passed near the church of San Pietro, and which led to the territories of northern Sardinia.

The economy of Tula is based largely on agriculture and livestock breeding, to a lesser extent on industry and craftsmanship. Agriculture is favoured by the fertility of the soil, suitable for growing cereals, vegetables and olives, and there is also a reality that produces seeds and animal feed.

The industry and craft sector sees a strong production of wooden, iron and aluminium products. There are also agricultural companies that transform products, such as for the production of jams or cheeses.

Lake Coghinas has recently seen an increase in sports, cultural and tourist activities, which produce a significant economic impact. The tourism sector is linked to it, in fact there are several structures that offer catering and hospitality, also with the possibility of overnight stays.

The parish church of Tula is dedicated to Saint Helena Empress. It is located in the centre of the town and dates back to the last years of the 19th century, built on the plan of the previous parish church. The building materials are exposed trachyte blocks for the façade and the square-section bell tower, while the other walls are plastered and painted. The façade is higher in the centre and lower at the sides, with semi-columns that almost frame the central part and that rise to its full height, ending with pinnacles. A pinnacle is also found on the central summit, with an iron cross above it. The arched door has two lateral columns and a tympanum above and has a large rose window above it. The two lateral sides of the façade, of lower height, also have pinnacles at the ends and two niches, one on each side, that house two statues, that of Saint Peter and that of Saint Paul. An arched motif follows the upper cornice along its entire width. A staircase leads to the interior of the church, consisting of a central nave and two side naves, separated by pillars and arches.

To the east of the town stands the church of the Madonna di Coros. The first written attestations of this sanctuary date back to 1175, therefore its construction was certainly prior to this date. A recent restoration project has completely covered the building with new trachyte blocks, leaving only the apse in its original materials. The façade is high and two half-columns at the ends delimit its profile, while two other narrower ones are on the sides of the square door. The double-pitched upper cornice is embellished with a small arched motif that continues on the side walls and the rear wall. The interior consists of a single room.

Of the original church of Santa Croce located on the northern outskirts of the town today only a chapel remains with a 17th-century crucifix that is used for Holy Week services.

The last religious sanctuary in the territory of Tula is located in the hamlet of “Sa Sia” and is the country church of San Pietro Apostolo. Its construction took place around 1930 to replace a church that was located further downstream and that after the dam that created Lake Coghinas was submerged by its waters. The building is of modest size and simple architecture with a gabled chapel flanked by a sacristy.

Regarding the presence of archaeological assets in the territory of Tula, some domus de Janas and various nuraghi have been found, the latter especially in the southern and eastern part of the territory.

The most important archaeological complex of Tula is probably the one located in the area of ​​“sa Mandra Manna” and contains a multitude of creations belonging to different historical periods, including a domus de Janas, a nuraghe, a tomb of the giants, a dolmen and two menhirs, although today these are in a horizontal position. Last but not least, the long wall that extends for several dozen meters, and gives its name to the archaeological complex. “Mandra manna” in Sardinian means “large enclosure” and we can certainly say that we are admiring an open-air museum of which something has already been excavated, but it is assumed that much more is still to be discovered.