Cagliari and South-East · Città metropolitana di Cagliari

Things to do in Decimoputzu

Things to do in Decimoputzu, Sardinia: San Giorgio church, San Basilio, the Warriors' Tomb with some of Sardinia's oldest swords, murals and more.

Decimoputzu, Sardegna — © piantisergio · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0

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Decimoputzu is a farming village in the Campidano plain, about 25 km from Cagliari, surrounded by fertile fields crossed by the Flumini Mannu river and dotted with greenhouses and artichoke farms. Its name recalls a Roman milestone, and its land has yielded some of the oldest swords ever found in Sardinia. It's a rewarding stop for archaeology lovers and fans of old churches, and easy to pair with other villages in the south of the island.

What to see in Decimoputzu

Church of San Giorgio

On the edge of the centre, behind the parish church, stands one of the oldest places of worship in the area. Excavations in 1989 revealed a 6th-century building beneath it, with a baptismal font and floors reusing fragments of a Roman mosaic. In 1089 the Judge of Cagliari gave the church to the Victorine monks of Marseille, who rebuilt it in Romanesque style: the limestone façade with its bell gable survives from that phase. Inside is a 17th-century statue of St George on horseback.

Parish church of Nostra Signora delle Grazie

Already recorded in the 14th century, it was built between the 15th and 16th centuries; the bell tower was rebuilt in 1814. On the square, murals by Andrea Sabiucciu tell the story of the great flood, the village procession and rural life.

Country church of San Basilio

About 3 km from the village, at Riu de Matta, it was rebuilt in 1642 over an older building and keeps a stone baptismal font dated 1603.

The "Warriors' Tomb" of Sant'Iroxi

This domus de janas (a rock-cut tomb) was found by chance in 1987. It held more than 200 burials and 19 sword and dagger blades in arsenical copper from the Bonnanaro culture, around 1600 BC: among the oldest swords in Sardinia. The finds are on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Cagliari.

Things to do in Decimoputzu

This is slow travel: a walk between the churches and murals, a stroll or bike ride through the flat countryside among artichoke fields and streams. The village is also a handy base for hikes on Monte Arcosu and in the Sulcis hills. Check out the experiences offered by local operators just below.

History

People have lived here since the Neolithic. In the Nuragic age the towers of Monte Idda and Casteddu de Fanaris were built, and at Mitza Purdia a small Mycenaean-style ivory head was found, a sign of contact with the Aegean. The village grew up on the Roman road from Cagliari to Sulci, at the tenth mile: hence the name. In the Middle Ages it belonged to the Giudicato (medieval kingdom) of Cagliari, then to the marquisate of Villasor held by the Alagon family, until feudalism ended in 1839.

Food and local products

Decimoputzu's countryside is known for artichokes and greenhouse vegetables. Bread-making is a craft handed down in families, and the cooking is classic Campidano fare: semolina bread, soups and vegetable dishes.

Festivals and traditions

The highlight of the religious year is the procession that escorts the saint to the country church of San Basilio, with the confraternity, groups in traditional dress, ox carts, horse riders and musicians.

Nearby

Villaspeciosa: the Romanesque church of San Platano and the San Cromazio mosaic.
Villasor: Castello Siviller, a 15th-century fortified residence.
San Sperate: murals and Pinuccio Sciola's Sound Garden.
Uta: the Romanesque church of Santa Maria.

Getting there and when to go

Cagliari-Elmas airport is about 20 minutes away by car, the port of Cagliari about 30. Reach the village from Decimomannu or the SS 130. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild weather and green fields.