Between extant and gone, there are 82 castles in Sardinia, all built during the Middle Ages. Some date back to the Byzantine period, but most of them were built during the Judicate period and della Gherardesca, Malaspina and Doria rule, especially from the second half of the 13th century onwards.

Built mainly for strategic military purposes, they had the function of guarding the judicial borders and the most important communication routes. With the unification of Sardinia under the Aragonese their importance faded away and over time almost all of them fell into ruin.

List

No. name comune province judicate curatoria date/period condition 1 Castle of Acquafredda Siliqua Sud Sardegna Cagliari Sigerro 13th century in ruins 2 Castle of Arcuentu Arbus Sud Sardegna Arborea Monreale 11th century in ruins 3 Castle of Ardara Ardara Sassari Torres Oppia 11th century ruins of one tower 4 Castle of Balariana Luogosanto Sassari Gallura Gallura 11th century some ruins 5 Castle of Baratuli Monastir Sud Sardegna Cagliari Dolia after 1258 in ruins 6 Castle of Barumele Ales Oristano Arborea Usellus Byzantine period in ruins 7 Castle of Bonvehì (or Bonuighinu) Mara Sassari Torres Cabudabbas probably 12th century ruins of one tower 8 Castle of Bulzi Bulzi Sassari Torres Anglona 12th century some ruins 9 Castle of Capu Abbas (o Civita) Olbia Sassari Gallura Fundimonte 13th century in ruin 10 Castle of Capula Siligo Sassari Torres Meilogu 13th century few ruins 11 Castle of Casa di Regno (Mar'e Pontis) Cabras Oristano Arborea Campidano Maggiore late Byzantine few traces 12 Castle ofi Casteddu Etzu Fordongianus Oristano Arborea Barigadu Byzantine few ruins 13 Castle of Castel Pisano unknown Sassari Torres Nurra unknown completely gone 14 Castle of Castel Rosso Perfugas Sassari Torres Anglona 12th century completely gone 15 Castle of Casteldoria Santa Maria Coghinas Sassari Torres Anglona 12th century ruins of the walls and a tower 16 Castle of Castro Oschiri Sassari Torres Montacuto Byzantine ruins 17 Castle of Castrum Sulcitanum Sant'Antioco Sud Sardegna Cagliari Sulcis Byzantine completely gone 18 Castle of Cheremule Cheremule Sassari Torres Cabudabbas Judicate ruins 19 Castle of Chiaramonti Chiaramonti Sassari Torres Anglona 13th century ruins 20 Castle Corallo Gavoi Nuoro Arborea Barbagia di Ollolai Judicate some ruins 21 Castle of Crasta Monti Sassari Torres Montacuto Judicate few ruins 22 Castle of Cugato Oschiri Sassari Torres Monteacuto unknown completely gone 23 Castle of Erguri Buddusò Sassari Torres Montacuto Judicate completely gone 24 Castle of Essola unknown Sassari Torres Nurra probably Judicate completely gone 25 Castle of Fava Posada Nuoro Gallura Posada Judicate good condition 26 Castle of Figulinas Florinas Sassari Torres Figulinas very ancient completely gone 27 Castle of Funtana Menta Senis Oristano Arborea Parte Valenza Judicate one tower in good condition 28 Castle of Ghilarza Ghilarza Oristano Arborea Guilcer 15th century very good 29 Castle of Gioiosa Guardia Villamassargia Sud Sardegna Cagliari Sigerro probably Judicate ruins 30 Castle of Girapala Paulilatino Oristano Arborea Guilcier Judicate completely gone 31 Castle of Goceano (Castle of Burgos) Burgos Sassari Torres Goceano 1127–1129 walls and a tower 32 Castle of Gulana Olzai Nuoro Arborea Barbagia di Ollolai unknown completely gone 33 Castle of Laconi Laconi Oristano Arborea ParteValenza probably Byzantine ruins 34 Castle of Longonsardo Santa Teresa Gallura Sassari Gallura Taras 14th century few ruins 35 Castle of Osilo (o dei Malaspina) Osilo Sassari Torres Montes 13th century a portion in good condition 36 Castle of Malvicino Villaputzu Sud Sardegna Cagliari Sarrabus 13th century ruins 37 Castle of Marmilla Las Plassas Sud Sardegna Arborea Arborea from the 10th century perimeter walls 38 Castle of Medusa Asuni Oristano Arborea Mandrolisai Judicate ruins39 Castello dell'Asinara Porto Torres Sassari Torres Nurra probably 16th century scarce 40 Castle of Mondragone Porto Torres Sassari Torres Nurra undetermined completely gone 41 Castle of Monreale Sardara Sud Sardegna Arborea Bonorcili 13th century perimeter walls 42 Castle of Montacuto Berchidda Sassari Torres Monteacuto probably 11th century ruins 43 Castle of Monteforte Sassari Sassari Torres Nurra Judicate few ruins 44 Castle of Monteleone Monteleone Rocca Doria Sassari Torres Monteleone 13th century few ruins 45 Castle of Montesanto Mores Sassari Torres Oppia 13th century completely gone 46 Castle of Montezuighe Ittireddu Sassari Torres Montacuto late 13th century few ruins 47 Castle of Montiferru (CastedduEzzu) Cuglieri Oristano Torres Montiferru 11th century remains of perimeter walls and a tower 48 Castle of Murgunulis Usellus Oristano Arborea Parte Usellus uncertain completely gone 49 Castle of Narbolia Narbolia Oristano Arborea Campidano di Milis Judicate completely gone 50 Castle of Nora Pula Sud Sardegna Cagliari Nora Byzantine completely gone 51 Castle of Ogliastra Lotzorai Nuoro Cagliari Ogliastra Judicate partially in ruins 52 Castle of Oliena Oliena Nuoro Gallura Orosei probably 11th century completely gone 53 Castle of Olomene Pattada Sassari Torres Montacuto various periods numerous ruins 54 Castle of Olova Luras Sassari Gallura Gemini Judicate few ruins 55 Castle of Orsetto (Barigadu) Neoneli Nuoro Arborea Barigadu Byzantine few ruins 56 Castle of Oristano Oristano Oristano Arborea Judicate completely gone 57 Castle of Orosei Orosei Nuoro Gallura Gallura Judicate keep intact 58 Castle of Orvei Tula Sassari Gallura Montacuto Judicate ruins of a few buildings 59 Castle of Ozula (Palattu ezzu) Sennori Sassari Torres Romangia undetermined façade and courtyard verified 60 Castle of Padulaccia Telti Sassari Gallura Fundimonte probably Byzantine ruins of the walls 61 Castle of Palmas San Giovanni Suergiu Sud Sardegna Cagliari Sols Judicate one tower in poor condition 62 Castle of Pedres Olbia Sassari Gallura Fundimonte 13th century ruins of the walls and a few towers 63 Castle of Pontes Galtellì Nuoro Gallura Galtellì 12th century parts of the walls and a tower 64 Castle of Quirra Villaputzu Sud Sardegna Cagliari Quirra Judicate few ruins 65 Castle of Re Baldo Luogosanto Sassari Gallura Balariana 11th century significant ruins 66 Castle of Roccaforte Giave Sassari Torres Caputabbas 14th century completely gone 67 Castello della Rosa Jerzu Nuoro Cagliari Ogliastra 11th century few ruins 68 Castle of Salvaterra Iglesias Sud Sardegna Cagliari Cixerri 13th century few ruins 69 Castle of San Michele Cagliari Cagliari Cagliari Campidano di Cagliari Judicate good condition 70 Castle of Sanluri Sanluri Sud Sardegna Cagliari Nuraminis 11th century good condition 71 Castle of Sant'Isidoro Teulada Sud Sardegna Cagliari Sols Byzantine few ruins 72 Castle of Santisconata Domus de Maria Sud Sardegna Cagliari Nora unknown few ruins 73 Castle of Sa Prisoni Bezza Macomer Nuoro Torres Marghine 12th century completely gone 74 Castle of Sassai (o di Orguglioso) Silius Sud Sardegna Cagliari Gerrei Judicate good condition 75 Castle of Sassari Sassari Sassari Torres Romangia 14th century completely gone 76 Castle of Segariu Segariu Sud Sardegna Cagliari Trexenta 12th century few ruins 77 Castle of Serla Norbello Oristano Arborea Guilcier Judicate completely gone 78 Castle of Serravalle Bosa Oristano Torres Planargia 12th century good condition 79 Castle of Sorra (Sorres) Torralba Sassari Torres Meilogu 14th century completely gone 80 Castle of Tissilo Ussassai Nuoro Cagliari Barbagia di Seulo undetermined few ruins 81 Castle of Tului Tratalias Sud Sardegna Cagliari Sols Judicate completely gone 82 Castle of Uras Uras Oristano Arborea Bonorzuli unknown completely gone 83 Castle of Villasor Villasor Sud Sardegna Cagliari Gippi 15th century good condition

Bibliography