Sa Sartiglia of Oristano: the program of this ancient tradition

It is one of the oldest traditions of Sardinia. That will take place on Carnival Sunday and Mardi Gras, days during which you are planning to enjoy a small winter holiday in Sardinia. We are talking about Sa Sartiglia. And this is the program.

The program:

• 10am – Bando. Drummer boys and trumpeters will announce the beginning of Sa Sartiglia.
• 11am – Annullo postale. A special counter at the post office will cancel all correspondence.
• 12pm – Vestizione. The ceremonial dressing of those who will participate in the next cortège will take place.
• 1:15pm – Corteo. A cortège of 120 horsemen led by su Componidori (the headmaster) and preceded by drummer boys and trumpeters, parades through the city to the point where the Corsa della Stella will take place.
• 1:30pm – Corsa della Stella. Using a sword, horsemen try to pierce a hanging star in via Duomo.
• 4:30pm – Corsa delle Pariglie. Perhaps the most spectacular moment of the Sartiglia, with the daring acrobatics of the horsemen.
• 6:30pm – Svestizione. The horsemen undress the clothes used to participate in the Sartiglia.

The Gremio dei Contadini and the Gremio dei Falegnami

They are the two real protagonists of Sa Sartiglia. The gremi are the guilds of arts and crafts, and each of them will manage one of the two days of the event. To be precise:

• February 11^th, Sunday – Sartiglia del Gremio dei Contadini (“guild of farmers”);
• February 13^th, Mardi Gras – Sartiglia del Gremio dei Falegnami (“guild of woodworkers”).

In both cases, the gremi will follow the phases of the program, indeed, of an authentic ritual that is repeated unchanged for years and years.

How to get

To discover the ancient tradition of the Sartiglia of Oristano, the first thing you need to do is to book a ferry to Cagliari. From here, just take the strada europea E25 and follow the road signs to Oristano: the journey by car takes about one hour and ten minutes.

Further information

For further information about the edition of Sa Sartiglia of Oristano (complete program, any changes), you can visit Fondazione Sa Sartiglia official website, Sartiglia.info.

Image source: Flickr.com/photos/valeriarandazzo