Logudoro
The Logudoro (term originated as corrupt blending of the kingdom's name of Logu de Torres) is a large traditional region in central-northern Sardinia, Italy. The local dialect is known as Logudorese.
Mostly composed of soft volcanic terrains, it is the most fertile area of the island. For this reason it was settled since early Prehistoric times, as shown by the presence of numerous nuraghe. During the Roman domination it was one of the main grain supplier of the Empire, and was the seat of several legions, which guarded it from the never-Romanized population of the inner areas.
In the Middle Ages, it was the center of one of the four quasi-kingdoms in which Sardinia was divided, the Giudicato di Torres or Logoduro, the first capital being Ardara, later replaced by Sassari. To this period date the numerous countryside Romanesque basilicas. After the conquest of the giudicato by the House of Aragon, Logoduro declined, until the decision to move the seat of the governor to Cagliari made it marginal. Later, under the Savoy rule as part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, it gave shelter of bands of anti-governative brigands.
In the early 20th century the construction of roads and railways brought more prosperity, but at the same time destroyed the large forest heritage of the region. The demographic pressure and the reduced competitivity of the local grain production in the Italian market pushed numerous Logoduresi to emigrate in the 1950s, first in the main Sardinian cities and then to the Italian northern mainland.
See also
- Giudicato di Torres