Silanus, Sardinia

Silanus is an Italian comune in the province of Nuoro in Sardinia, about 13 km east of Macomer near the SS 129 state road and about 40 km from Nuoro. The village, at the foot of Monte Arbo, has 2060 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2019) and lies 432 m above sea level.

Places of interest in and around the village include:

• the 12th century Cistercian church of San Lorenzo. In its garden are five baityloi, from a nearby tomb of giants.
• the Nuraghe Madrone, 12.6 m high, situated to the east of the village, with two intact cantilever domes, one above the other
• Unprecedented in Sardinia is the 11th century church of Santa Sarbana near Silanus (also called Santa Sabina), located on the SS 129 state road, next to the nuraghe of the same name. It consists of a mixture of Byzantine and more recent Romanesque forms. The tripartite elevation is reminiscent of early Christian baptisteries with an attached consignatory and vestiary. The right side room was reconstructed in 1935, the church was renovated in the 1990s. Excavations did not yield any older finds.

In the area there are traces of the tombs of the giants, the nuraghe Ortu and the sanctuary of the well of Cherchizzu. The basalt plateau south of Silanus is also rich in nuraghi that are difficult to find (Corbus, Ponte, Cubas with five Baityloi in the surrounding area and S'Ulivera).

·         Santa Sarbana near Silanus