Associazione Città Italiane Patrimonio Mondiale UNESCO

The history of Barumini dates back to about 3,500 years ago where, at the end of the 16th century the current parish church (sa cresia manna) and, towards the beginning of the 18th century the Zapata family home (palazzu ‘e su marchesu) were built. The ancient peoples built a nuraghe (nuraxi ‘e cresia) on this hill and a little village of huts around it. The remains of Roman masonry in the residential area would lead to the supposition that the cluster of dwellings made up one of the “villas” on the Roman estate.
Barumini was the property of the Judge of Arborea from the 11th century.
Buildings constructed locally in this period were the two minor churches of San Giovanni (13th century) and San Nicola (end of the 12th century).
With the surrender of the Judge of Arborea in 1410, Barumini passed to the marquisate of Oristano until 1479 when Sardinia became a possession of the Spanish Crown under King Ferdinand the Catholic.
The Zapatas did not settle at Barumini by pure chance, Barumini was the first headquarters of the Curatoria and so with the new reign, went on to become and remain baronial headquarters. It was during the period that the wonderful Palazzo Zapata was built.
It was from precisely this time that the Barumini we know today began to take shape. The urban reality of Barumini is a blend of relatively inexpensive country houses with other homes that are architecturally more sophisticated. There are arched portals in abundance throughout the region and they are wonderful examples of a style that is as beautiful today as it was all that time ago.