Sassari
A brief history
Sassari is the second largest city in Sardinia in terms of number of inhabitants (129,000). It rises up on a vast calcareous plane that slopes gently down towards the gulf of Asinara.
The town is the capital of the province by the same name, as well as its administrative headquarters
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. It has been inhabited since Neolithic times, and is characterised by many nuragic complexes dotted around the region. Mount Accodi, a prehistoric altar built in 2400 B.C. and discovered in 1952, is just one of the important archaeological findings of the area, and is within easy reach of Sassari, along the 131 dual carriageway, in the direction of Porto Torres.
. In Roman times, Sassari was the immediate inland of the powerful and active Roman colony of Turris Libisonis (today’s Porto Torres).
Despite the many ancient archaeological findings, the first specific reference to the town was discovered in the condaghi (ancient registers or notarial deeds) of the monastery of San Pietro in Silki. It was first named in an act dated 1131, as jordi de Sassaro. We find a second reference to the town in 1135, when the church of Sancti Nicolai de Tathari is mentioned.
In the XIII century A.D., the town, guided by the authorities, was first allied with Pisa, and later with Genoa. It was during this time that there was a significant increase in the population, and also during this time that considerable architectonic work was carried out.
The town was fortified and despite the works that have been made on the original building over the years, we can still make out some parts of the original city walls today.
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The Aragonese domination determined a period of great social and economic crisis, and Sassari, amongst pestilence and disorder, gradually lost its population, only to rise again with the peace in 1420, when it acquired once more its status as town of reference for northern Sardinia.
Traces of the Spanish passing can be seen in the Platha de Cothinas (today’s street: Corso Vittorio Emanuele) that runs from one end of the town to the other, or in the town hotel, and the Town Hall.
During the XVI and XVII centuries, there was a suffered resistance to the Saracen invasions that, as was also the case in other areas of Sardinia, blocked the full development of the town. In 1562, the Jesuits brought about the foundation of the college ‘Studi di San Giuseppe’, which in 1617 then became the University of Sassari – the first university of Sardinia, and amongst the oldest in Italy. Within the complex, we would mention the University Library, with its many ancient manuscripts, including the previously mentioned Condaghe di S. Pietro di Silki.
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