Chiesa di San Michele
Chiesa di San Michele
A building of considerable historical and architectural interest in Irgoli, known locally as Santu Miali. The structure, whose main hall may date back to the 12th century, stands on a site of ancient cultural importance, precisely on the ruins of a tomb of the giants, a funerary monument of the Nuragic age. This stratigraphic overlap testifies to the continuity of use of the site through different eras and cultures. The exterior is characterised by a simple façade with a round-arched portal and a bell gable. The interior features a wooden truss roof and preserves decorative elements from various periods, including small ceramic votive plates and basalt and granite ashlars, reflecting local building techniques. Of particular interest is the statue of St. Michael, depicted according to traditional iconography with scales, a symbol of the weighing of souls. The building is at the centre of an important local tradition: the feast of St Michael of the Cemetery, celebrated on 29 September, once organised by the unmarried youth of the village. It not only represents a significant example of Sardinian religious architecture, but is also an important document of cultural continuity and local devotional practices.