Page 114 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sardinia

112  SARDINIA AREA B Y AREA

offer them adequate Sarcidano mountain range
dining facilities, in and boasts beautiful panoramic
particular during the San views. Làconi also features
Mauro feast day. One of the ruins of Castello Aymerich
Sardinia’s most important in the park above the town.
livestock and horse fairs Only a single tower from
used to be held on this the original fortress, built in
day in the grounds of 1053, remains. The rest of
the sanctuary. the castle includes later
Not far from the additions such as the
church are two further 15th-century hall and the
sites worth visiting: the 17th-century portico. The
The rural Sanctuary of San Mauro, near Sòrgono Tomba di Giganti di magn ificent park around
Funtana Morta (Tomb the castle includes a botanical
t Sòrgono of the Giants) and, on a hilltop garden and waterfall, and today
overlooking the church, the it is a popular desti nation for
Road map C4. * 2,100. n Town
Hall (0784 62 25 20). _ 26 May: Talei Nuraghe, built with large walks and picnics.
San Mauro feast day. ∑ comune. granite stones and partly into Once the seat of the local
sorgono.nu.it the surrounding rock. noble overlords, Làconi has
preserved the Neo-Classical
Situated in a densely cultivated Palazzo Aymerich, built in the
area of orchards and vine yards, first half of the 1800s by architect
famous for producing Gaetano Cima from Cagliari.
Cannonau wine (see p184), Within the palace is the Menhir
Sòrgono has been an important Museum, a collection of 40 pre-
town since Roman times. Today nuraghic megalithic monuments.
it is the administrative centre Near the 16th-century
of the Mandrolisai area. parish church is the birth-
Two rather dilapidated sites place and small museum of
in the town are worth a visit; Sant’ Ignazio da Làconi, a
the 17th-century Casa Carta, miracle worker who lived
featuring a typical Aragonese here in the second half of the
window, and a medieval 18th century. There is also a
fountain of Pisan origin. monument in his honour in
Just west of town is one of the square.
the most interesting and oldest
rural sanctuaries in Sardinia, Environs
the Santuario di San Mauro. This The Pisan fountain at Sòrgono, a relic The area around Làconi has
imposing church is surrounded from the Middle Ages many prehistoric remains.
by the traditional cumbessias, the Among these are several
houses used by the pilgrims anthropomorphic menhirs,
during their stay at the sanctuary. y Làconi single stones on which
The building is a mixture of local Road map C4. * 2,500. n Town ancient sculptors carved
architectural features and the Hall (0782 86 62 00). ∑ comune. human features. These can
characteristic Gothic-Aragonese laconi.or.it be seen at Perda Iddocca and
style. A fine stairway flanked by Genna ’e Aidu, but it is advis-
two stone lions leads to the grey The town of Làconi is built able to be accompanied by a
trachyte façade, which boasts around a rocky spur of the local guide.
a beautiful carved Gothic rose
window. Numerous inscrip tions
are recorded on the stones of
the church, some many centuries
old and others more recent,
carved by pilgrims to
commemorate their visits
to the sanctuary.
The interior of San Mauro has
a single vault and is interrupted
only by an arch that leads into
the presbytery. Here there are a
Baroque altar and some statues.
Various buildings were added
to the original church to
accommodate pilgrims and The ruins of Castello Aymerich at Làconi
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp177–8 and pp187–8

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