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Sassari and Sardinia
Sardinia is known as one of the most beautiful islands in the
Mediterranean Sea. It is an ancient land, rich in history and
culture, and characterised by its largely wild and uncontaminated
natural landscape. The historic and archaeological heritage of
Sardinia, its nature, ancient traditions, local products and the
culinary tradition all contribute to make this Island one among the
most popular holiday destinations in the country.
Sassari (population 130,000) is the second Sardinian city. It lies on
a range of hills overlooking the strait between Northern Sardinia
and the Southern coast of Corsica, at 225 metres above sea level.
The town was founded around the 9th-10th century AD by the
inhabitants of the ancient Roman port of Turris Lybisonis (current
Porto Torres). Over time, Sassari has been ruled by the Genoese,
the Pisans, the Aragonese, the Catalans, the Spanish, the
Austrians, and eventually by the Piedmont Savoia kings, until the
Unification of Italy in 1861.
Culture and traditions
Sassari is proud of its cultural identity and traditions. Among the
most vivid expressions of tradition two are worth mentioning: the
Faradda di li candareri (the Candle Holders) and the Cavalcata
Sarda (the Sardinian Cavalcade).
The first is a devotional procession held on August 15, in which
massive wooden candles are carried by members of the city
guilds from the town center to the church of Santa Maria of
Betlem, in commemoration of the end of the plague in 1582. The
second is a laic event taking place on the last Sunday of May,
when thousands of people come from all over Sardinia to Sassari
parade through the city in their local folk costumes accompanied
by hundreds of the best examples of Sardinian horses.
Sassari has an intense cultural life, animated by a rich
programme of events spanning from opera, classic and popular
drama, exhibitions, conferences, concerts, and the most
prominent film festival in Sardinia, Sardinia Film Festival
Facts about Sardinia
Sardinia has a surface of 24,089 km 2 , a population of
approximately 1,600,000 inhabitants. The capital city is Cagliari.
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