Nuraghe Arrubiu
map of Nuraghe Arrubiu and surroundings
The Nuraghe is one of the largest preserved Nuraghe complexes in Sardinia.
The complex covers an area of about 5000 m².
It was built in the 15th century BC, as determined quite precisely from finds during excavations.
Basalt boulders from the surrounding area, now covered in red lichens, were used as building material. This reddish color gave the Nuraghe its name (Arrubiu = the Red).
In the 9th century BC, parts of the complex collapsed, after which it was abandoned and remained uninhabited for about 700 years.
During the Roman occupation of Sardinia from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD, the complex was used again.
Excavations and tourist development of the complex only began in the 1980s.
The Nuraghe stands on a basalt plateau, where strong winds often blow. Even in summer, it can become quite chilly up there.
From a distance, the Nuraghe complex initially appears like a large pile of stones.
Only up close do the dimensions of the structure and the size of the stones used become apparent.
The fortress is first surrounded by an outer wall containing twelve towers.
Unlike other larger Nuraghe complexes like Su Nuraxi or Palmavera, no remnants of a settlement were found in the surrounding area.
Only the foundations of three round huts have been preserved.
The entire complex is a so-called “Five-Tower Nuraghe,” meaning it consists of five towers that encircle another central tower. The five outer towers are connected by massive walls.
There are access points to the towers from the central courtyard. These towers, like the walls, were constructed without mortar and hold together solely by the weight of the stones used.
The towers taper upwards and form a so-called Tholos vault inside, as do all Nuraghes.
The central tower is still 16 meters high today, but it was originally about 30 meters high. It contained three floors, of which only the lowest is fully preserved.
The techniques used to lift the heavy stones to the upper levels remain unknown.
The Nuraghe builders left no written records, so archaeologists can only form hypotheses from the artifacts they find.
In the outer walls and towers, there are narrow openings that allowed light to enter and served as arrow slits for defense.
Archaeologists have attached a thin wire to most of the walls to mark the ground level at the start of the excavations.
The excavations are still ongoing.
There is still material that has fallen from above onto the original floor from the Nuraghe period. Only the large courtyard and the access points to the towers have been cleared so far. Numerous artifacts from the daily life of the Nuraghe people have been found in the process.
The towers are a megalithic construction, largely made of hewn giant stone blocks. This sets Arrubiu apart from most other Nuraghes in Sardinia, which typically used unhewn stones.
At the top, there were walkable platforms supported by long stones known as cantilever stones.
During the excavation work inside the fortress, numerous relics from the Roman period were found, indicating that the complex was used for wine production.
This wine press was reconstructed outside the Nuraghe under two protective roofs.
How to get there: Nuraghe Arrubiu is located a bit east of the SP10 between Escalaplano and Orroli. (see map) The access roads are well signposted and lead to the parking lot at the visitor center.
Tickets are purchased here, and visitors walk about 300 meters to the Nuraghe. The complex can be explored individually, but climbing on the Nuraghe is strictly prohibited.