Church of Saint Anthony of Salvennor

The Church of Saint Anthony the Abbot is located about two kilometres away from the residential area, along the road leading to Ploaghe from the mainroad SS131, in the direction of Cagliari. The church is small and low and its plan has one nave and an apse. The Romanesque church has a façade and an apse made from limestone alternated with red trachyte. In the first half of the 1700s, the sacristy was positioned, along the sides together with several houses for the pilgrims.

The framed entrance portal and the rectangular window of the façade probably date back to the Aragonese period (tn* from the end of the 14th to the 15th century). The interior is simple and austere, with only one altar that for centuries had the 15th century statue of Saint Michael on it, now kept in the parish of Saint Peter. Along the walls, the numerous ex voto (tn* votive offerings) are evidence of worshiper’s answered prayers, while an original and modern fresco shows the joyous and colourful procession of cars that characterises the summer festival. Its construction dates back to the 13th century.

Source: book “Churches, institutions and famous people of Ploaghe” (in Italian) by Gavino Spanedda