Villaputzu, Quirra Castle

Close to the Sarrabus hills, Villaputzu is located in an alluvial stretch of the Flumendosa river. The castle of Quirra is located on the top of Mount Cudias, in a panoramic position near the river of the same name and near the church of San Nicola.
The castle of Quirra was built in the 12th century by the rulers of the Kingdom of Cagliari to defend the border with that of Gallura and was the scene of various political events starting in 1324, the year in which it was occupied by Catalan-Aragonese troops. Precisely this castle was the bulwark opposed by the Iberians to the siege of the Arborean troops united with those of the Doria family, who hoped to be able to conquer, in vain, an outlet to the sea and access to the Sarrabus mines.
In 1349, after several changes of hands, he became the castle of Quirra Berengario Carròs, who subsequently managed to raise his fief to a county, acquiring considerable power. The castle of Quirra went down in history as the residence of Berengario's daughter, Donna Violante Carròs, described as greedy and bloodthirsty, who died (according to tradition) right in Quirra. Starting in 1475, the castle became part of the Crown of Aragon.
The material remains of the fortification are limited to three portions of ruined wall, located N, S and E, and a series of underground tanks along the O and N sides, partially plastered and vaulted. In the S/E corner there are the remains of a triangular tower with a tank, about 3.50 m deep, designed to collect rainwater.

History of studies
The work of Emilio Lucchi (1932) and the article by Foiso Fois (1974) are worth the castle of Quirra.

Bibliography
E. Lucchi, “The castle of Quirra and the tower of Saralà: visions of Sardinia”, in Mediterranean: monthly magazine on island culture and problems, 6, 1932, n. 1, pp. 32-36;
F. Fois, “The castle of Quirra, Rocca dei Carroz: contribution to the history of the fortifications in Sardinia”, in Studi Sardi, XXIII, 1973-74, part I, pp. 217-227; G. Serreli, All the castles of the Four Kingdoms, “Darwin.
Notebooks”, n. 1 (July-August 2006), pp. 104-109.

How to get there
Villaputzu is located about 70 km from Cagliari, along the SS 125. The ruins of the castle of Quirra, indicated by signs, are in a rural area outside the village and can be reached only after an impervious climb.