Parco archeologico di Santa Cristina
Archaeological park with the famous Nuragic sacred well, a Nuragic village and the Christian village of the muristenes near Paulilatino.
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About the museum
The Santa Cristina park, on the basalt plateau of Abbasanta, comprises a Nuragic sanctuary dedicated to the cult of water, a single-tower nuraghe with a Nuragic village still largely unexcavated, and a Christian area with a small chapel and the muristenes, the little houses where pilgrims stay during the novenas. The name comes from the country church of Santa Cristina, built around the 13th century by Camaldolese monks.
The heart of the site is the well temple, probably built around the 11th century BC: a staircase of 25 steps descends to a chamber covered by a false dome, where spring water seeps through the walls. The well is enclosed by a keyhole-shaped wall and an elliptical temenos, with a meeting hut and other smaller huts. In the late Punic age the sanctuary was dedicated to Demeter and Kore, and later to Ceres.
The monument was described in the 19th century by Angius, Spano and La Marmora, but the first excavations date to 1953; campaigns of excavation and restoration followed until the early 2000s. The well is also linked to astronomical phenomena: at the March and September equinoxes the sun lights the bottom of the well down to the water and, every 18.6 years, during a major lunar standstill, moonlight reaches the water through the opening of the tholos chamber. The park is run by the Cooperativa Archeotour.
Highlights
- Nuragic sacred well with a 25-step staircase and tholos chamber
- Astronomical alignments at the equinoxes and lunar standstill
- Single-tower nuraghe and Nuragic village
- Christian village with small chapel and muristenes
- Guided tours every hour
- Operated by
- Cooperativa Archeotour
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5children aged 6 to 13 |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 5 · Free admission for ages 0 to 5; reduced ticket for ages 6 to 13. |
| Groups (21+ people) | €7 per personGroups of more than 20 people, aged 14 and over. |
Tickets can be bought on site or online. The park ticket also gives access to the Museo etnografico “Palazzo Atzori” in Paulilatino. An annual pass (“Pozzo club”) is available.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Snack bar and souvenir and tobacco shop at the park entrance.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours every hour from 8:30 until sunset (8:30, 9:30 … up to 19:30 in summer). |
