Fertilia

Fertilia is a small settlement called a frazione or hamlet in the municipality of Alghero on the island of Sardinia in Italy. It was built in the 1930s as part of a development plan by the Fascist government. People from the Province of Ferrara were brought to live there, and many still speak the Ferrarese dialect today.

The hamlet is located between Fertilia Airport and the city of Alghero. It is part of the province of Sassari, one of the main provinces on Sardinia. Fertilia reminds us of how communities can grow and change through planned settlement programs.

History

The area where Fertilia is now located started changing in the late 1800s when people worked to turn wet land into useful space. In 1936, the village of Fertilia was officially started by a group from the Italian government. People from places like Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia moved there to live.

When World War II began, many of the buildings were not yet finished, and the village was used for other purposes. After the war, people who had to leave their homes in Istria and Dalmatia came to Fertilia and made it their new home. The village has many reminders of the Venetian culture these new residents brought with them, with streets and squares named after places and events from Veneto and the Julian March regions.

Monuments and places of interest

The village of Fertilia was built by a group of architects and is known for its simple, serious style typical of buildings from a certain time in history. Everything in the village is made from a special pink stone, similar to buildings in other planned towns like Carbonia and Arborea. The layout of the village was inspired by ideas about creating pleasant, green living spaces.

Religious architecture

San Marco

The Church of San Marco is the main place for people in Fertilia to gather for worship. It was first meant to honor a special idea but later also became linked to a important figure named Saint Mark. Building the church started in 1936, and it has a special front with a large window above the entrance. In 1957, a tall bell tower was added, designed to look like famous towers in Venice.

Inside the church, there is beautiful artwork, including a picture made of small colored squares showing a special moment with angels, made by an important artist from Sardinia. Other artists also helped decorate the church with their work.

Roman bridge

Not far from Fertilia, near a pond called Calich, there is an old bridge that was first built a very long time ago. People later added to it during a time called the Middle Ages. Studies of the bridge show that the oldest parts of it were built during the time of ancient Rome.