Decimoputzu: Churches, Nuraghi and River Landscapes

Decimoputzu lies in the southern part of the Campidano plain. Its defining features include churches, prehistoric monuments and the Flumini Mannu with its riverside landscape. Depending on your interests, you can explore the town through its ecclesiastical history, archaeological remains or walking paths along the river.

Churches and traces of the past

The church of San Giorgio is documented from the late 11th century. The Vittorini monks from Marseille rebuilt it in Romanesque forms. Mosaic fragments dating to the 3rd century AD were reused in the floor of the baptistery of San Giorgio. The two historical dates refer to different things: the church’s documentary record and the age of the fragments.

The parish of Decimoputzu is first documented in 1341. The present church building is documented from 1560 under the title Santa Maria. The rural church of San Basilio lies about 3 km from Decimoputzu, near the Rio Matta; the area where it stands was already in use during the Byzantine period.

Prehistoric monuments

The hypogeum known as the Tomba dei Guerrieri, of the Domus de Janas type, is located in Sant’Iroxi near Decimoputzu. It is dated to the final phase of the Neolithic, the Ozieri culture and the Early Bronze Age. The bronze weapons found at the Tomba dei Guerrieri are now kept at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari. This clearly distinguishes the archaeological site from the weapons’ present-day place of safekeeping.

Perda Lada and two Nuraghi display other architectural forms. Perda Lada is a Nuragic giant’s tomb with a vaulted stele, built using cyclopean masonry. The Nuraghe Monte Sa Idda is known for finds of metal artefacts; Su Casteddu ‘e Fanaris is an imposing complex Nuragic structure. The tomb monument and the Nuragic structures therefore offer different archaeological points of reference, rather than describing a single form of the past. The stele refers to a component of the tomb, while cyclopean masonry describes how it was built.

The Flumini Mannu and the landscape

The Flumini Mannu flows through the territory of Decimoputzu. Poplars, willows and reeds grow along its banks; grey herons and little egrets nest in these stands. Riverside paths run along the Flumini Mannu through reed beds and poplars, making them suitable for walks. Around the inhabited centre, greenhouses and extensive artichoke fields shape the landscape. The agricultural area around the centre thus differs from the river corridor, which is characterised by riverside vegetation.

Festival in May

The feast of San Giorgio is celebrated on the third Sunday in May. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the latest event information in advance.

Discover more destinations: Decimomannu, Villasor, Serdiana, Camisa, Selargius, Sarroch, Porto Tramatzu, Isili

For the wider travel overview: Cagliari.