The municipality of Ruinas stands in High Marmilla and is characterised by Mount Grighine’s imposing dimensions. There spring many sources, which make the surrounding territory extremely lush: the most important are the ones of Santu Teru, Botta 'e Corongiu and Abbadda.
Ruinas is separated from Samugheo village by Rio Araxiri (river) and its valley, mainly constituted of pink trachyte. The name of the village clearly alludes to some ruins, probably the ones of Ghentiana Roman village, now disappeared, where the Byzantines erected the church in honour of Santu Teru (St. Theodore).
As many finds were executed, we presume that the area had been inhabited since Nuraghic epoch.The main nuraghs are the ones of "Nurampei" and "De s'Enna 'e sa Pira", which is in the border with Villa Sant'Antonio.
The village develops along the main road, Via San Giorgio (St. George’s Road), and is characterized by extremely irregular alleys, overlooked by typical red stone houses with splendid portals.
Ruinas Parish Church, dedicated to St. George Martyr, Patron Saint of the village, probably goes back to the thirteenth century. It was extended and restored again and again in the course of the centuries.
Between the spring and the summer Ruinas is the scene of three big feasts: the second Sunday of May there is the festival of St. Isidoro, patron saint of farmers, with a sumptuous procession, opened by horsemen, followed by “prioresse” and tractors, decked with flowers, valuable carpets and tissues; the 19th of May there are St. Theodore’s celebrations, another Patron Saint of the village; finally, the 19th of August there is the Patron Saint George’s feast, with a solemn procession joined by horsemen and men in costume, which ends with a big firework display.
Since eight years ago, in August the Folklore Exhibition takes to the streets of Ruinas folk groups, which animate the village with Sardinian traditional songs and dances. In that occasion, the Municipality organizes the “S’Arreppiccu” exhibition, which hosts bell-ringers coming from all over the region.
Municipality web site: www.comuneruinas.it
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