View source for Ollolai

{{Short description|A municipality and town in Sardinia, Italy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox Italian comune
| name                = Ollolai
| official_name       = Comune di Ollolai
| native_name         = Ollollai
| image_skyline       = Panoramaa.jpg
| image_shield        = Ollolai-Stemma.png
| pushpin_map         = Italy Sardinia
| coordinates         = {{Wikidatacoord|Q295337|region:IT|display=inline,title}}
| region              = {{RegioneIT|sigla=SAR}}
| province            = {{ProvinciaIT (short form)|sigla=NU}} (NU)
| mayor               = Francesco Columbu 
| area_total_km2      = 27.34
| population_footnotes = <ref name="istat">All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute ([[National Institute of Statistics (Italy)|Istat]])</ref>
| population_total    =  1289
| population_as_of    = 31 July 2016
| population_demonym  = Ollolaesi (Ollolaèsos in [[Sardinian language|Sardinian]])
| elevation_m         = 970
| istat               = 091056
| saint               = [[St. Michael Archangel]]
| day                 = 29 September 
| postal_code         = 08020
| area_code           = 0784
| website             = {{URL|http://www.ollolai.com/}}
}}
'''Ollolai''' is a ''[[comune]]'' at the centre of [[Barbagia]], in the [[province of Nuoro]], [[Sardinia]], [[Italy]]. Its territory covers an area of {{convert|2734|ha}}. It is the main town of the Barbagia di Ollolai.

== Places of interest ==

=== Architecture ===
The main square of the village was created in the early 20th century by diverting the stream that crossed it. Inside it lies a church dedicated to [[Michael (archangel)|St. Michael the Archangel]], which contains paintings by Carmelo Floris in the apse as well as a crucifix painted by Franco Bussu, an inhabitant of Ollolai. The oldest part of the church is a chapel dedicated to [[Bartholomew the Apostle|St. Bartholomew]].
[[File:Costume di Ollolai.jpg|thumb|left|Woman in a traditional Ollolai dress]]
Near the town centre, there is another church dedicated to [[Anthony of Padua]], where the Feast of Saint Anthony is traditionally held along with a lighting of a bonfire.

A few kilometres (miles) from the village towards the valley, there lies a church dedicated to [[Saint Peter]], rebuilt in the 1970s after the demolition of a [[Romanesque church]].

In a valley surrounded by granite peaks lies a church dedicated to [[Basil of Caesarea]], built by the Basilian monks and used, after the expulsion of the Basilians, by the Franciscans. The adjoining convent was built later.

=== Water features ===
The town is abundant in water features. The most famous is ''Gupunnio,'' the source of which is in the centre of the village, and was recently renamed ''Regina Fontium''. There is also the fountain of Su Sapunadorju, and a few hundred metres (feet) from the town, Su Puthu, which was once used as a watering hole.

==Population decline and 2024 U.S. election==

Since 1925, Ollolai's population declined from 2,250 to 1,150 residents as families left for economic reasons. Following the [[2024 United States presidential election]], the town announced it would offer homes in need of renovation for one euro to Americans wishing to relocate to Ollolai. The town also offers free temporary homes to digital nomads and ready-to-occupy houses for up to {{Currency|100000|EUR|linked=no}} ({{Currency|105000|linked=no}}). Ollolai's mayor said the town received 38,000 requests in the weeks following the election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Marchetti |first1=Silvia |title=Italian village offers $1 homes to Americans upset by the US election result |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/19/travel/italian-village-ollolai-wants-americans-election-one-dollar-homes/index.html |access-date=20 November 2024 |publisher=CNN |date=19 November 2024 |language=en |archive-date=20 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241120001815/https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/19/travel/italian-village-ollolai-wants-americans-election-one-dollar-homes/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Begley Bloom |first1=Laura |title=Leave The U.S.: A Village In Italy Is Selling Homes For $1 To Americans |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2024/11/20/leave-the-us-a-village-in-italy-is-selling-homes-for-1-to-americans-who-want-to-escape/ |access-date=20 November 2024 |publisher=CNN |date=20 November 2024 |language=en |archive-date=20 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241120155207/https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2024/11/20/leave-the-us-a-village-in-italy-is-selling-homes-for-1-to-americans-who-want-to-escape/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Michele Columbu]] (1914–2012), leader of the [[Sardinian Action Party]] ([[Sardinian nationalism|Sardinian nationalist]] party)
*[[Franco Columbu]] (no relation, 1941–2019), bodybuilder and actor, twice [[Mr. Olympia]]
*[[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] (born 1947), Austrian and American actor and politician, honorary citizen of Ollolai<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lanuovasardegna.it/regione/2015/07/30/news/arnold-schwarzenegger-cittadino-onorario-di-ollolai-1.11858053 |title=Arnold Schwarzenegger cittadino onorario di Ollolai - Regione - la Nuova Sardegna |date=30 July 2015 |access-date=21 November 2024 |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520041052/https://www.lanuovasardegna.it/regione/2015/07/30/news/arnold-schwarzenegger-cittadino-onorario-di-ollolai-1.11858053 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{commons category|Ollolai}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Province of Nuoro}}


{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Sardinia]]


{{Sardinia-geo-stub}}