Municipality in the province of Oristano, located on the West coast of Sardinia, on the right bank of the river Temo, the town of Bosa has preserved, over the centuries, its typical medieval historic appearance, more than any other town in Sardinia. The main centre, located on the hill of Serravalle, seems to adapt to a stepped gradient of the ground and is dominated by the castle. The oldest part of the town features a sort of arch shape, the result of houses joined in a row and marked by narrow alleys. The newer area, instead, develops around the main street, onto which overlook buildings with XIX century façades, while the district of Bosa Marina is a popular seaside resort.
The area was inhabited since Prehistoric times, as evidenced by the presence of Nuraghi and "Domus de Janas" and was an important centre throughout the Phoenician-Punic and Roman Ages. In Imperial times it became Municipium and submitted several Arab raids. In the XII century, the town developed at the foot of the hill and from the XVII century, the boundaries extended along the shores of the river and in the nearby plain. It was incorporated in the Giudicato of Arborea and was disputed between the Aragonesi and the Malaspina. The Aragonese and their feudal lords were the architects of the city walls and enlargement in 1388 brought to an end with a peace agreement contrasts carried out over a long period of time. In 1499 Ferdinand the Catholic proclaimed Bosa, a Royal City and at that time, the castle was the stronghold of the fief under the control of the Admiral of Villamarina. The XVII century, under Spanish rule, was a miserable period, due to epidemics and famine, subsequent to raids and looting by the Ottomans. In the XVIII century, the territories were assigned to the Habsburgs and later to the Savoy.
Attractions:
- the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, built on the ruins of a former church of the XII century, rebuilt in the early XIX century. It features a single nave plan and four chapels on one side and three on the other;
- the Church of San Pietro, characterized by a central nave realized in the XI century, while the façade and the first row of arches are in the Gothic style;
- the XVII century Church of the Carmine, built on the ruins of a former Carmelite church;
- the Church of St. John the Baptist, which dates back to the XIV century;
- the XVI century Church of St. Anthony;
- the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli;
- the Church of Santa Giusta;
- the Oratory of the Rosary;
- the Malaspina Castle, built in the XII century and still preserves intact its fortified walls. Inside it features an old chapel with a remarkable cycle of frescoes;
- Palazzo Carlos, built between the XVII and XVIII centuries;
- the Watchtower on the Red Island (isola Rossa);
- Torre Argentina.