The municipality of Villa Verde is situated among Oristano area hills, lush woods and very beautiful naturalistic areas, such as Mitza Margiani area, a splendid display of holm-oaks whereby a spring giving water to the whole village jets out of.
The toponym “Villa Verde” (Green Villa) has recent origins and honours the colour of the splendid woods surrounding the village. Until 1954 the village name was “Bannari” (from Latin “Balneus”, which means thermal bath). Still today, after more than fifty years, the municipality keeps on maintaining a sort of double denomination, even if Villa Verde is acknowledged as official toponym.
Villa Verde history is tightly tied to Mount Arci and to the precious obsidian fields which supported the territorial settlement since ancient times. Particularly interesting by an archaeological point of view are the remains of Truttiris, “Brunk'e s'omu” and “Brunk'e su Giganti” nuraghs and of the sacred pits located in the following places: Corongiu Arrubiu, “Su putzu de prau” and “Corongiu arrubiu”.
Villa Verde historic centre holds tree churches of notable artistic interest: Blessed Holy Virgin’s, recently built, St. Sebastian’s and St. Mauro’s churches. In the main square of the village it is possible to admire an important sculptural work made by the artist Luigi Taras in collaboration with some local sculptors. It is constituted by a basalt block of thirty tons in memory of the fallen (in war). The historic centre there is finally the “Antiquarium” (little local archaeology) Museum of Obsidian, fully dedicated to the famous “black gold of antiquity”.
Every first Sunday of June, Villa Verde organizes the Good Shepherd feast and the Festival of the Sheep in the scene of Mitza Margiani, where visitors can assist at religious rites, watch local craft market and taste typical local dishes of Sardinian culinary tradition.
Municipality web site: www.comune.villaverde.or.it
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