Villamassargia is a village in the Cixerri valley between Iglesias and Siliqua, medieval in origin in the Giudicato of Cagliari, in an area with nuraghi and the Roman remains of an aqueduct and smelters. It is famous for S'Ortu Mannu, an old olive grove with hundreds of ancient olive trees, some a thousand years old, with huge twisted trunks; the largest is called Sa Reina, the queen. The trees are adopted by village families. On a nearby hill rise the ruins of the 13th-century Gioiosa Guardia castle, with wide views over the Sulcis-Iglesiente. The old core has mud-brick houses around the early 13th-century Romanesque parish church of Santa Maria della Neve. The patron, the Madonna della Neve, is celebrated on 7 August, and the Madonna del Pilar at the chapel of San Ranieri on the Sunday nearest 12 August.
What to see
- Oliveto di S'Ortu Mannu
- Castle of Gioiosa Guardia
- Church of Santa Maria della Neve, romanica
Festivals and traditions
- Madonna della Neve7 August
- Madonna del PilarAugust
Nearby beaches
- Cala Domestica24 km
Nearby hikes
Nearby towns
- Musei · 4 km
- Domusnovas · 5 km
- Iglesias · 10 km
- Narcao · 12 km
- Perdaxius · 13 km
- Gonnesa · 15 km
- Siliqua · 15 km
- Carbonia · 16 km
Sources: Grande Enciclopedia della Sardegna; ISTAT. Original texts by Gotosardinia.
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