Posada
Encyclopedia
Posada also previously known as Feronia or Pausata, is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Nuoro
in the Italian
region Sardinia
. The city sits on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,394 and an area of 33.52 km².
Posada borders the following municipalities: Budoni
, Siniscola
and Torpè
.
or Pheronia, the foundation of which is ascribed to the Faliscans, which contained a now lost temple to the Etruscan goddess Feronia.
During the Roman
period, the town's importance declined with the foundation of nearby Portus Luguidonis.
In the Middle Ages, Posada was main town of an historical district called Baronia di Posada or Baronia Alta (to be distinguished from Baronia Bassa or Baronia di Orosei/Galtelli'), on the Tyrrhenian coast
of the island.
The ancient part of the town is in a spectacular position on the top of a hill, where it preserves a particular medieval
historical center, with ruins of a castle
(Castello della Fava) and a square panoramic tower of the 13th century.
The castle has been the equivalent of a holiday residence for the Giudichessa Eleanor of Arborea
, and was object of alternate possession by the Giudicato d'Arborea and the Aragon
, during the long fight before the Spanish conquest.
The castle became then the seat of the Baron of Posada, a title and a fief created in 1431 for Don Nicolò Carroz and formally ended in 1856, when it was finally bought by the kingdom of Sardinia
(the last one of all Sardinian fiefs).
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Nuoro
Province of Nuoro
The Province of Nuoro is a province in the autonomous island region of Sardinia, Italy. Its capital is the city of Nuoro.It has an area of 3,934 km², and a total population of 161,444. The province is divided into 52 comuni, the largest of which are Nuoro , Siniscola , Macomer , and Dorgali...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. The city sits on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.-Geography:The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia , Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria and Sicily ....
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,394 and an area of 33.52 km².
Posada borders the following municipalities: Budoni
Budoni
Budoni is a comune in the Province of Olbia-Tempio in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 170 km northeast of Cagliari and about 30 km southeast of Olbia...
, Siniscola
Siniscola
Siniscola is a comune in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 160 km northeast of Cagliari and about 45 km northeast of Nuoro....
and Torpè
Torpè
Torpè is a comune in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 160 km northeast of Cagliari and about 45 km northeast of Nuoro...
.
History
Within Posada's territory was the ancient city of FeroniaFeronia (Sardinia)
Feronia is the name of a mysterious ancient site near the town of Posada , which was in Ptolemy's maps and following until the Middle Ages....
or Pheronia, the foundation of which is ascribed to the Faliscans, which contained a now lost temple to the Etruscan goddess Feronia.
During the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
period, the town's importance declined with the foundation of nearby Portus Luguidonis.
In the Middle Ages, Posada was main town of an historical district called Baronia di Posada or Baronia Alta (to be distinguished from Baronia Bassa or Baronia di Orosei/Galtelli'), on the Tyrrhenian coast
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.-Geography:The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia , Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria and Sicily ....
of the island.
The ancient part of the town is in a spectacular position on the top of a hill, where it preserves a particular medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
historical center, with ruins of a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
(Castello della Fava) and a square panoramic tower of the 13th century.
The castle has been the equivalent of a holiday residence for the Giudichessa Eleanor of Arborea
Eleanor of Arborea
Eleanor ; 1347 – 1404) was the giudicessa of Arborea from 1383 to her death. She was one of the last — and most powerful and significant — Sardinian judges; as well as the island's most renowned heroine....
, and was object of alternate possession by the Giudicato d'Arborea and the Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, during the long fight before the Spanish conquest.
The castle became then the seat of the Baron of Posada, a title and a fief created in 1431 for Don Nicolò Carroz and formally ended in 1856, when it was finally bought by the kingdom of Sardinia
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
(the last one of all Sardinian fiefs).