Complesso Nuragico Romanzesu

Major Nuragic pilgrimage sanctuary established 15th century BCE, used until 7th century BCE. Sacred well temple with tholos dome, 14-meter ablution basin, 100 huts, 4 megaron temples. Discovered 1919. UNESCO tentative list.

Sometime around the 15th century BCE, the Nuragic people of Bronze Age Sardinia began constructing a sanctuary complex on a forested plateau near the source of the river Tirso. The site was chosen for its sacred spring—water flowing from the rock that would become the focus of worship. Over centuries, they built a well temple with a tholos dome to honor the spring, a 42-meter stepped passage, and a 14-meter amphitheater basin for ritual ablutions. They constructed approximately one hundred huts to house pilgrims, four megaron temples for varied ceremonies, and a ceremonial enclosure for gatherings. For eight centuries, until the site was abandoned around the 7th century BCE, Romanzesu served as one of Sardinia's great pilgrimage destinations.