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| Ogliastra | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ogliastra |
| Settlement type | historical province |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Italy |
| Subdivision type1 | Region |
| Subdivision name1 | Sardinia |
| Established title | Established |
| Established date | 2001 |
| Abolished title | Abolished |
| Abolished date | 2016 |
| Seat type | Capital |
| Seat | Lanusei |
| Area total km2 | 1856 |
| Population total | 57,642 |
| Population as of | 2015 |
Ogliastra
Ogliastra was a historical province on the eastern coast of Sardinia known for its rugged mountains, dramatic coastline, and distinct local culture. Created in 2001 and suppressed in 2016, it encompassed inland communities and maritime towns between Baronia and the Golfo di Cagliari area, with administrative center in Lanusei. The territory featured important archaeological sites, pastoral traditions, and protected areas that linked it to broader Sardinian, Italian, and Mediterranean histories.
Ogliastra occupied a sector of eastern Sardinia bounded by the Tyrrhenian Sea and contiguous with provinces such as Nuoro and Cagliari. The landscape included the Gennargentu massif, peaks like Punta La Marmora nearby, karst plateaus, deep river gorges such as the Flumendosa gorge, and coastal promontories including Cala Goloritzé and the Torre di Bari. Vegetation ranged from Mediterranean scrub linked to Monte Arci ecosystems to higher-altitude woodlands associated with Supramonte. Geomorphology featured granite and limestone substrates, with caves and coves similar to those at Grotta del Bue Marino and cliffs resembling sections of the Costa Smeralda.
Human presence in the Ogliastra area dates to pre-Nuragic and Nuragic civilization phases, with nuraghi and Giants' graves paralleling sites in Barumini and Tharros. During the Roman period the region interacted with settlements like Nora and Turris Libisonis, later falling within medieval giudicati such as Giudicato of Cagliari and Giudicato of Torres spheres of influence. Feudal lordships tied to families such as the Malaspina and the Doria shaped medieval and early modern land tenure, while the Spanish Crown and the Kingdom of Sardinia affected administrative reforms mirrored in towns like Jerzu and Arbatax. In the 19th and 20th centuries Ogliastra experienced events connected to Italian unification, rural protests akin to movements in Sicily, and postwar migration patterns seen across regions including Calabria and Basilicata.
Population was concentrated in municipalities including Lanusei, Tortolì, Arbatax, Jerzu, and Gairo Vecchio. Demographic trends showed aging and outmigration comparable to patterns in Nuoro and Oristano. Sardinian language varieties such as Campidanese Sardinian and Logudorese Sardinian dialectal influences were present alongside Italian, with local toponyms reflecting heritage similar to names found in Olbia and Alghero. Religious life centered on parishes tied to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cagliari network and festivals paralleling rites celebrated in Sardinian folk saints traditions.
Traditional activities included pastoralism and viticulture seen in communes like Jerzu and artisanal crafts comparable to those in Bosa and Nuoro. Fishing, small-scale agriculture, and cork production linked Ogliastra to island industries prominent in Sardinian agri-food sectors. The local economy also engaged with renewable energy initiatives reflected in projects across Sardinia and infrastructure networks connected to Porto Torres and Cagliari. Economic challenges mirrored those addressed by Italian regional policies affecting Mezzogiorno development and European Union cohesion funds.
Folklore, music, and cuisine in the area share lineage with broader Sardinian customs seen in Sardinian folk music and instruments such as the launeddas. Festivals invoked patron saints comparable to celebrations in Nuoro, and literary or artistic figures from Sardinia, including connections to writers celebrated in Sardinian literature, influenced local identity. Culinary specialties featured products like Cannonau wine linked to Jerzu and sheep's cheese traditions akin to those from Barbagia and Gennargentu, while handicrafts paralleled ceramics and textiles produced in Oristano and Sassari.
Created by regional law, the province’s institutions in Lanusei coordinated services across municipalities including Tortolì, Arbatax, Jerzu, Gairo, Ilbono, Cardedu, Villagrande Strisaili, Seui, and Ulassai. In 2016 regional reorganization dissolved the province and redistributed competencies to the Regione Sardegna and neighboring provinces such as Nuoro and Cagliari. Administrative history intersected with reforms similar to those involving the Province of Medio Campidano and the restructuring experienced by Italian provinces more widely.
Ogliastra’s coastline with sites like Cala Goloritzé, Cala Mariolu, and the Torre di Bari attracted hikers and divers, while inland paths traversed the Supramonte and accessed overlooks comparable to viewpoints on Monte Corrasi. Protected areas and marine zones connected to conservation efforts in Asinara National Park and Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena frameworks. Cultural tourism highlighted nuragic complexes akin to Nuraghe Su Nuraxi and local museums similar to institutions in Nuoro and Cagliari, with access via roads linked to the island’s transport nodes at Arbatax port and regional airports serving Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport and Cagliari Elmas Airport.
Category:Geography of Sardinia Category:Former provinces of Italy