In Porto Torres and Alghero churches of considerable architectonic value
In Alghero, the bishop' s seat since 1503, the cathedral of Santa Maria (recently refurbished) has been constructed in Catalan late Gothic style. It has an octagonal bell tower with pyramidal cuspid. The first part of the building was finished during the first half of the XVI century: the works resumed subsequently, when the noble families of the town guaranteed the financing of the necessary works. The original facade has gone lost and it has been replaced today with the one constructed in 1862 that is preceded by four Doric columns of clear neoclassic inspiration.
Are worth a visit also the near churches of San Francisco d’Assisi, other example of Gothic-Catalan style with successive baroque contaminations (was constructed around 1380 and partially rebuilt in the end of the XVI century, after a landslide of huge dimensions; very interesting also the cloister, the bell tower and the convent of the Minors Friars), San Michele (reconstructed by the Jesuits between 1661 and 1675, on a pre-existing little church, has a characteristic polychrome dome that dominates the whole old town center), the Carmelo (1664: very beautiful the high altar and the wooden pulpit) and the Misericordia (constructed by the Franciscan friars in 1508 and widely rebuilt in 1662).
In the countryside near Alghero, about ten kilometers far from the Catalan citizen (east direction), is worth a visit the sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Valverde, constructed in 1600's and destination of many pilgrims. Surrounded by green, the little church was built on top of an hill, among olive groves and vineyards. The quiet induce to reflect.
The basilica of San Gavino, in Porto Torres, is the most majestic example of Romanesque style in Sardinia. Where the Romans had founded the colony of Turris Lybisonis (look at Ghost Cities), on the ruins of two churches (one of which early Christian dedicated to the martyr Saints Gavino, Proto and Gianuario) in the half of the XI century was built this basilica that, unfortunately, has been modified during the ages by some questionable reconstruction works. Among the peculiarities of this church there are surely the two opposite apses (one oriented towards East, the other towards West): it is one of the fews examples in Italy, almost the only one in Sardinia.
From 484 to 1441 it was the cathedral of the archdiocese of Torres, then the seat was transferred to Sassari. The judge of Torres, Comita, made it to put up as a thank for the recovery from leprosy. According to some textes of that time, the Comita judge would have dreamt San Gavino that asked him to look for his body and those of the other two martyrdoms, who deserved a worthy interment. All this happened punctually (they are guarded in the crypt: they were found in one of the cemeterial zone of one of the pre-existing churches). The architectonic peculiarities let us understand also the choice of the Giudicato di Torres to show decisional autonomy from Bisanzio (during the presence of the Bizantini in Sardinia) but also in Cagliari, with stylistic models coming from areas.
Nearby the Cuga dum, half way between Ittiri and Alghero, rises the little Romanesque church of San Leonardo. It has been reconstructed more upriver (as it happened to the church of San Pietro di Zuri: look at Montiferru), piece after piece, when it was decided to begin the works of the waters reservoir. The church of San Leonardo is constructed in white limestone blocks, with only one nave.
In the center of Olmedo, a town only a few kilometers range from Alghero, the parochial of Nostra Signora di Talia is well-worth a visit (the name derives from Santa Vitalia): in a mosaic placed over the entrance architrave is represented the Verge with the infant Jesus in her arms. It is a little Romanesque church, whose original has been masked for a long time from a thick layer of plaster on the facade and on the outside walls. A reconstruction has allowed the appreciation of the architecture of this church of the XII century.
