The UNESCO site of the Domus de Janas one year after its recognition

Castelsardo, Domus de Janas, roccia dell'elefante

It was July 12, 2025 when Paris was officially recognized as the sixty-first UNESCO site for Italy, the second for Sardinia. “The funerary tradition in the prehistory of Sardinia-Le Domus de Janas” recognized its exceptional universal value as a World Heritage Site.

Thanks to the incessant scientific work of Ce.Sim (Center for Studies, Identity and Memory) led by Prof. Giuseppe Tanda, in concert with the Region and the UNESCO Office of the MIC, this prestigious result has been achieved, which calls for great responsibility and at the same time represents a precious opportunity for the future of the Island.

Of the 35 assets included in the initial tentative list, 26 were selected to be part of the application dossier, following a rigorous technical and scientific analysis, 18 monuments were chosen by UNESCO for the serial site.

These are some of the most surprising and best preserved sites among those built in the period from the Middle Neolithic to the Eneolithic, that is to say between the 5th and 3rd millennia BC distributed over 16 municipalities:

Alghero (Necropolis of Anghelu Ruju), Villanova Monteleone (Necropolis of Puttu Codinu), Putifigari (Necropolis of Monte Siseri or S'Incantu), Ossi (Necropolis of Mesu'e Montes), Porto Torres (Necropolis of Su Crocifissu Mannu), Sennori (Domus de Janas of the Garden of the Parish Benefit), Castelsardo (Domus de Janas of the Elephant Rock), Cheremule (Park of Petroglyphs A and B and White Tomb), (Necropolis of Sant'Andrea Priu and Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga), Anela (Necropolis of Sos Furrighesos), Sedilo (Necropolis of Ispiluncas), Ardauli (Necropolis of Mandras or Mrandas), Oniferi (Necropolis of Brodu), Mamoiada (Necropolis of Istévene), Goni (Archaeological Park of Pranu Muttedu), Villaperuccio (Necropolis of Montessu).

The state of governance, one year later: from the Memorandum of Understanding to the Foundation

The Department of Education, Cultural Heritage, Information, Entertainment and Sport played the role of administrative coordination and facilitator, supporting the application from the beginning with a total financial commitment of 22.35 million euros from 2021 to today.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in December 2023, which formally binds:

The Region of Sardinia and the competent Provinces.
The municipalities where the assets are located and those falling within the buffer zones.
The territorial offices of the Ministry of Culture (Regional Secretariat, at least originally, Superintendencies and Regional Museum Directorate).
The promoters (Ce.Sim and Network of Municipalities)

The management of a serial site that insists on heterogeneous territories required the definition of a shared governance model. This coordination is currently evolving towards the establishment of a Participatory Foundation, a technical-administrative body that will be responsible for implementing the UNESCO Management Plan, ensuring compliance with international conservation standards and promoting an integrated management of the monumental network.

After a year, therefore, the project fully enters the consolidation phase while the governance that will guide the enhancement and protection of the site in the years to come is formally established. In this perspective, the Foundation becomes the point of convergence of the institutional and territorial network.

For more information:

https://domusdejanasunesco.org >

All the data sheets of the Domus de Janas UNESCO on Sardegna Cultura >

Update

24/7/2026 - 08:39