Masainas

Masainas is a coastal village in the province of Sud Sardegna in Sardinia. It is located between the lagoons of the Gulf of Palmas and the mountains of Sulcis. From the macchia-covered hills, the terrain slopes down towards the 22 km² village, which lies 57 m above sea level, in a plain. Lower lies the beach Is Solinas, which belongs to the village.

There are no documents about the origin of the village, which, however, is ancient. The presence of people is evidenced by some Bronze Age nuraghi and Punic and Roman relics. A building of cultural and historical interest is the complex nuraghe Is Fais, located northwest of the village. It consists of four towers arranged in a cross shape. Near the village, the remains of a pottery workshop and two sarcophagi from the Roman period were also found. As confirmation of an ancient agricultural and pastoral economy practiced in the area, "furriadroxiu", small rustic sheds for sheep or goats, were found all over the countryside.

Like the villages of Giba to the north and Villarios to the west, Masainas was included in the action of the Benedictine monks who came to the island at the beginning of the 12th century. Monasteries were built, the so-called "gunventus" (from convent), which still characterize the area today. The village center of Masainas developed around 1700 A.D. around the small church of San Giovanni Battista. Following the Gothic-Aragonese influences, it dates from the end of the 15th or the beginning of the 16th century. Some researchers, however, believe to recognize a first construction phase around the 11th century and late Romanesque influences. In 1836 it was the largest village in the area, with 1806 inhabitants.

Not far from Masainas are the lagoons of Golfo di Palmas, an ideal habitat for marsh birds, such as the pink flamingos, stilts, avocets, herons and the rare marsh hawks.

39.05251838.6289947Coordinates: 39° 3′ N, 8° 38′ E