Sarrabus-Gerrei is a sub-region of south-eastern Sardinia , Italy .
5-640: Traditionally Sarrabus, probably from the Roman-time city of Sarcopos, occupies the area of the communes of Castiadas , Muravera , San Vito and Villaputzu , corresponding to the curatory with the same name of the medieval giudicato of Cagliari . Geologically, it dates to the Palaeozoic era and it is crossed by the Flumendosa , initially in a valley and then to a coastal plain on the Tyrrhenian Sea . Specimens of
10-583: A medieval curatory (province) of the Giudicato of Cagliari. It is characterized by a series of plateaus divided by steep valleys, crossed by the Flumendosa. Sights include a Megalithic necropolis near Goni, belonging to the culture of Ozieri and including several Domus de Janas , and a Holy Pit of Funtana Coberta , at Ballao. 39°25′12″N 9°34′12″E / 39.4200°N 9.5700°E / 39.4200; 9.5700 Castiadas Castiadas
15-690: Is a comune (municipality) in the Province of South Sardinia in the Italian region Sardinia , located about 35 kilometres (22 mi) east of Cagliari . Founded in the 14th century and repopulated in the 19th century after centuries of abandonment, it is part of the Sarrabus-Gerrei historical region. In 1875 the largest penal colony in Italy was opened in Castiadas, and remained in use until 1956. The construction of
20-424: The mineral ullmannite (NiSbS) were found at Sarrabus in 1887. The crystals of the specimens from Sarrabus were described as hemihedral with parallel faces, whereas specimens from Lölling in present-day Austria were hemihedral with inclined faces. Gerrei is composed of the territories of Armungia , Ballao , Escalaplano , Goni , San Nicolò Gerrei , Silius , Villasalto , San Basilio . It also corresponds to
25-469: The penal colony was part of a larger initiative to repopulate areas of Sardinia that had been abandoned because of malaria and to transform marshy, unproductive land into farmland. The history of the colony is recounted in Il miracolo dei rei , a documentary film by Alessandra Usai. The area was populated by italian-tunisians , mainly of sicilian descent, immigrated here from Bizerte in 1965. Castiadas borders
#451548