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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox Italian comune
|name                = Oristano
|official_name       = Comune di Oristano
|native_name         = {{native name|sc|Aristanis}}
|image_skyline       = Eleanor_statue_Oristano.jpg
|imagesize           = 
|image_alt           = 
|image_flag=Flag of Oristano.svg
|image_caption       = Oristano: Statue of [[Eleanor of Arborea]], holding the [[Carta de Logu]] in her hand, with the sundial on the wall of the City Hall in the backdrop.
|image_shield        = Oristano-Stemma.svg
|shield_alt          = 
|image_map           = 
|map_alt             = 
|map_caption         = 
|pushpin_map         = Italy Sardinia
|coordinates         = {{coord|39|54|N|08|35|E|display=inline}}
|coordinates_footnotes = 
|region              = [[Sardinia]]
|province            = [[Province of Oristano|Oristano]] (OR)
|frazioni            = Donigala, Massama, Marina di Torre Grande, Nuraxinieddu, Silì, Torre Grande 
|mayor_party         = 
|mayor               = [[Andrea Lutzu]]
|area_footnotes      = 
|area_total_km2      = 84.57
|population_footnotes =<ref name="population">{{cite web|title=Resident population|url=https://demo.istat.it/app/?i=POS&l=en|publisher=[[Italian National Institute of Statistics|ISTAT]]}}</ref> 
|population_total    = 30007
|population_as_of    = 2025
|population_demonym  = Oristanesi<br />Aristanesus
|elevation_footnotes = 
|elevation_m         = 10
|istat=|saint               = [[St. Archelaus]]
|day                 = February 13
|postal_code         = 09170
|area_code           = 0783
|website             = {{official website|http://www.comune.oristano.it}}
|footnotes           = 
}}

'''Oristano''' ({{IPA|it|oriˈstaːno|lang|It-Oristano.ogg}}; {{langx|sc|Aristanis}} {{IPA|sc|aɾiˈstanizi|}}) is the capital and largest city of the [[Province of Oristano]] in the central-western part of the autonomous island region of [[Sardinia]] in [[Italy]]. It is located on the northern part of the [[Campidano]] plain. It was established as the provincial capital on 16 July 1974. As of 2025, with a population of 30,007, Oristano is the [[List of municipalities of Sardinia|7th-largest city in Sardinia]].<ref name="population" />

The economy of Oristano is based mainly on services, agriculture, tourism and small industries.

==History==
[[File:Torre di Mariano II - panoramio.jpg|thumb|left|Port'a Ponti Door Tower in Piazza Roma]]
Oristano was previously known by the Byzantines as '''''Aristiánēs Límnē''''' ({{langx|grc|ΑριστιάνηϚ λίμνη|lit=Pond of Oristano|label=[[Byzantine Greek]]}}),<ref> ''[[iarchive:bub_gb_pH47AQAAMAAJ|Georgii Cyprii Descriptio Orbis Romani]]'' (Lipsiae, 1890), editor [[Heinrich Gelzer]]</ref> and founded close to the ancient [[Phoenicia]]n settlement of ''Othoca'' (now [[Santa Giusta]]). It acquired importance in 1070, when, as a result of the frequent [[Saracen]] attacks, Archbishop Torcotorio made it the seat of the bishopric, which was previously in the nearby coastal town of [[Tharros]]. It also became the capital of the "[[Sardinian medieval kingdoms|Judicate]]" (equivalent to a Kingdom) [[Judicate of Arborea|of Arborea]]. Consequently, fortifications were designed, but the building thereof went on until judge [[Mariano II d'Arborea|Mariano II]] rose to power.

In medieval times Oristano vied for power over the whole island of Sardinia, and therefore waged wars against the other Sardinian kingdoms which culminated in the attempt to conquer the whole island during the reign (1347–75) of [[Mariano IV of Arborea|Mariano IV]] and that of his son [[Hugh III of Arborea|Hugh III]] (1376–1383) and his daughter [[Eleanor of Arborea|Eleanor]] (1383–1404). The Judicate of Arborea held out to be the last Sardinian kingdom to cease to exist in 1420, about 10 years after the [[battle of Sanluri]]. It was transformed in [[Marquisate of Oristano|Marchesato]] by the Aragonese and conquered, following a revolt by the last [[marquess]] [[Leonardo Alagon]], by the Catalan troops of the [[Kingdom of Aragon]], in 1478 after the battle of [[Macomer]].

Thereafter, Oristano's history was that of the island of [[Sardinia]], characterised by the Aragonese-Spanish (until 1708) and Piedmontese (from 1720) dominations, and then the [[unification of Italy]].
In April 1921, David Cova, [[Emilio Lussu]], Camillo Bellieni and other Sardinian veterans of [[World War I]] founded in the city the [[Sardinian Action Party]].

== Climate ==
Oristano has a [[Mediterranean climate#Hot-summer mediterranean climate|subtropical mediterranean climate]] with hot summers and mild winters. As manifests a mediterranean climate, precipitation patterns are highly seasonally defined, with the vast majority falling during winter. Summers are still retaining warmth and humidity during night in spite of the dry weather.

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location =  Oristano (1981–2010)
|Jan high C = 13.1
|Feb high C = 14.6
|Mar high C = 17.3
|Apr high C = 19.8
|May high C = 25.2
|Jun high C = 28.8
|Jul high C = 31.7
|Aug high C = 32.2
|Sep high C = 27.9
|Oct high C = 24.6
|Nov high C = 18.5
|Dec high C = 13.8
| year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 9.7
|Feb mean C = 10.6
|Mar mean C = 12.9
|Apr mean C = 15.3
|May mean C = 19.8
|Jun mean C = 23.3
|Jul mean C = 26.2
|Aug mean C = 26.9
|Sep mean C = 23.1
|Oct mean C = 20.0
|Nov mean C = 14.7
|Dec mean C = 10.6
| year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 6.3
|Feb low C = 6.6
|Mar low C = 8.4
|Apr low C = 10.7
|May low C = 14.4
|Jun low C = 17.7
|Jul low C = 20.6
|Aug low C = 21.6
|Sep low C = 18.2
|Oct low C = 15.3
|Nov low C = 10.9
|Dec low C = 7.3
| year low C = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 51.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 48.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 39.3
|Apr precipitation mm = 56.2
|May precipitation mm = 32.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 14.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 2.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 6.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 33.5
|Oct precipitation mm = 62.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 91.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 70.0
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|source 1 = Sistema nazionale protezione ambiente<ref name =SNPA>{{cite web
| url = https://www.snpambiente.it/snpa/arpa-sardegna/climatologia-della-sardegna-per-il-trentennio-1981-2010/
| title = Climatology of Sardinia for the thirty-year period 1981-2010
| publisher=Sistema nazionale protezione ambiente
| access-date = 27 November 2024}}</ref>
}}

== Demographics ==
{{Historical populations|1861|8020|1871|8617|1881|8892|1901|8967|1911|10033|1921|12119|1931|11258|1936|12453|1951|16298|1961|21738|1971|26059|1981|29424|1991|30990|2001|31169|2011|31155|2021|30653|cols=1|align=right|source=[[National Institute of Statistics (Italy)|ISTAT]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Popolazione residente dei comuni. Censimenti dal 1861 al 1991|trans-title=Resident population of the municipalities. Censuses from 1861 to 1991|url=https://ebiblio.istat.it/digibib/Censimenti%20popolazione/Censimentipopolazioneresidentedal1861/RML0050288Pop_res_cens_1861_1991.pdf|lang=it|publisher=[[National Institute of Statistics (Italy)|ISTAT]]}}</ref><ref name="timeseries">{{cite web |title=Dashboard Permanent census of population and housing|url=https://esploradati.censimentopopolazione.istat.it/databrowser/#/en/censtest/dashboards|publisher=[[National Institute of Statistics (Italy)|ISTAT]]}}</ref>}}
As of 2025, Oristano has a population of 30,007, of whom 47.3% are male and 52.7% are female. Minors make up 10.8% of the population, and seniors make up 29.8%, compared to the Italian average of 14.9% and 24.7% respectively.<ref name="population" />

As of 2024, the foreign-born population is 940, equal to 3.1% of the population. The 5 largest foreign nationalities are [[Romanians]] (232), [[Chinese people|Chinese]] (137), [[Senegalese]] (76), [[Bangladeshis]] (47) and [[Pakistanis]] (45).<ref name="foreignborn">{{cite web |title=Resident population by sex, municipality and citizenship |url=https://demo.istat.it/app/?i=RCS&a=2024&l=en |publisher=[[Italian National Institute of Statistics|ISTAT]]}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+Foreign population by country of birth (2024)<ref name="foreignborn" />
!Country
!Population
|-
|{{flag|Romania}}
|232
|-
|{{flag|China}}
|137
|-
|{{flag|Senegal}}
|76
|-
|{{flag|Bangladesh}}
|47
|-
|{{flag|Pakistan}}
|45
|-
|{{flag|India}}
|26
|-
|{{flag|Spain}}
|26
|-
|{{flag|Nigeria}}
|24
|-
|{{flag|Ukraine}}
|22
|-
|{{flag|Poland}}
|21
|-
|{{flag|Brazil}}
|16
|-
|{{flag|Bulgaria}}
|15
|-
|{{flag|Morocco}}
|15
|-
|{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
|14
|-
|{{flag|Russia}}
|13
|}

==Government==
{{See also|List of mayors of Oristano}}
{| class="wikitable"
! class="unsortable" |&nbsp;
!Mayor
!Term start
!Term end
!Party
|-
! style="background:#FF0000;" |{{white|14}}
|Mariano Scarpa
| align="center" |1 July 1994
| align="center" |8 June 1998
|[[Democratic Party of the Left]]
|-
! style="background:#FF7F00;" |15
|Piero Ortu
| align="center" |8 June 1998
| align="center" |30 July 2001
|[[Democratic Union for the Republic]]
[[Sardinian People's Party]]
|-
! style="background:#0054A5;" |{{white|16}}
|Antonio Barberio
| align="center" |11 June 2002
| align="center" |12 June 2007
|[[National Alliance (Italy)|National Alliance]]
|-
! style="background:#ADD8E6;" |17
|Angela Eugenia Nonnis
| align="center" |12 June 2007
| align="center" |2 September 2011
|[[Sardinian Reformers]]
|-
! style="background:#FF0000;" |{{white|18}}
|[[Guido Tendas]]
| align="center" |26 June 2012
| align="center" |26 June 2017
|[[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]]
|-
! style="background:#007FFF;" |{{white|19}}
|[[Andrea Lutzu]]
| align="center" |26 June 2017
| align="center" |''Incumbent''
|[[Forza Italia (2013)|Forza Italia]]
|}

==Culture==
===Sa Sartiglia and other events===
[[File:Sartiglia.jpg|thumb|left|Sartiglia]]
[[File:Costume di Oristano.jpg|thumb|Costumes of Oristano]]
''Sa Sartiglia'', otherwise known at its inception as ''Sartilla'', is an equestrian tournament held in Oristano for the past 500 years on Carnival Sunday and Mardi Gras. The tournament on Sunday is organized by the corporation (''gremio'') of farmers, whereas that on Mardi Gras is organised by the gremio of carpenters. It has arguably an ancient Castillan origin. Researchers M. Falchi and M. Zucca found a manuscript dating the first tournament to 1543, whereas Pau, a late local historian, believed it originated in Oristano before the Spaniards set foot on the island. In fact, in a letter written to an English friar in the 14th century, St. Catherine of Siena stated that the Judge of Arborea could provide two galleys and one thousand horsemen to fight in a crusade for ten years. While being far from conclusive evidence that the tournament had already been, or was about to be held, this letter is certainly a testament to the importance of horse-breeding in Oristano and its surrounding countryside at the time.

The name "Sartiglia" comes from ''Sortija'' which, in turn, evolved from the Latin word ''Sorticola'', the diminutive form of ''Sors'' which does not only mean fate and fortune, but also "ring".

The ring is a tin star provided with a hole at its centre, hanging from a ribbon strung above horseman's height across the street near the cathedral, at which masked horsemen aim with their swords on steeds galloping at breath-taking speed, after being announced by trumpets and drums and having gathered pace down a route, covered with sand, snaking across the town centre. The number of stars caught on each day is a sign of the wealth that the harvest and carpentry work will bring to the corporations.

At the end of ''Sa Sartiglia'', elsewhere within the old walls, another sand covered route will be trodden by horses ridden by those same masked horsemen and women showing their stunning prowess, while engaging in all sorts of acrobatics on two and three galloping steeds at a time. This is called ''La Pariglia'', and ends at sunset.
[[File:Sartiglia su componidori.jpg|thumb|left|Su Componidori]]
The leader of both trials is called ''Su Componidori'', meaning "the one who marshals". He is chosen by the members of the Corporations, who do not disclose his name until Candlemas, when ''Su Majorale'' announces it directly to the appointee and a careful selection of the horses as well as adequate practice can start. He is neither a man, nor a woman but androgynous, much akin to the land and, at the end of the tournament, blesses bystanders and the town with the "little doll of May" (''Sa Pippia 'e maiu''), a bunch of flowers swaddled in a ribbon, believed to pre-date the tournament itself, followed by the other horsemen at a canter first, and then alone, riding with his back on his galloping steed's, face up gazing at the Heavens.

==Main sights==
[[File:Duomo di oristano, esterno 01.jpg|thumb|left|[[Oristano Cathedral]]]]
[[File:Chiesa di San Francesco Oristano.jpg|thumb|left|Church of St. Francis]]
[[File:Chiesa del Carmine Oristano.jpg|thumb|Church of Carmine]]
* The Tower of St. Christophoros, otherwise known as Tower of Mariano II, was built in 1290, is {{convert|19|m|ft}} tall and the most striking remaining evidence of the old walls built at the time of the Judicate, as it was one of the main gates thereof.
* ''Torrione'' ("Big Tower") of Portixedda.
* St. Mary's Cathedral (1130) was rebuilt during the reign of Mariano II after being destroyed in a siege. Of the original structure of Mariano, only parts of the apse and base of the [[campanile]] are left, as well as the Gothic Chapel of the Rimedio, which houses some medieval sculptures. Parts of a more ancient Byzantine edifice can be seen in the court. To the 17th century renovation belongs the Chapel of the Archivietto ("Chapel of the Small Archive"). The current Baroque style is largely from the 19th-century restoration. It has been supposed that the cathedral was used for the burials of the Judges and their families, but the subsequent dominations have deleted all traces of them. In the interior is a wooden statue of the ''Annunziata'', attributed to [[Nino Pisano]].
* The Church of St. Francis of Assisi was built around 1200 and is currently in neo-classical style. Therewithin is the Christ of Nicodemus, a wooden sculpture believed to be the work of Valencian masters, dating back to the 14th century.
* The Franciscan church of ''Santa Chiara'' (consecrated in 1428) is an edifice in French-Gothic style with a single nave and a square apse.
* The Church and cloister of the ''Carmine'' is one of the best examples of Baroque-Roccoco architecture in Oristano.
* The Church of Saint Sebastian is the only medieval extramural church, i.e. it is located outside the walls.
* The Church of Saint Dominic (San Domenico) was built in 1634 at the initiative of friar Pietro Flores and financially supported by local nobleman Baldassarre Dedoni. Citizens also made donations in exchange for {{convert|2|m2|ft2}} of floor space for a tomb therewithin. The building is a rectangularly shaped chamber with two chapels formed in its right side wall: one of them is dedicated to Saint Vincent and the other one to the name of Jesus. Most notably, it has a wood retable that served as the main altar and includes several niches dedicated to Saint Dominic and other Saints. Upon the suppression of religious orders in 1832 the Dominicans, who had been in charge until then, bequeathed the church to the archconfraternity of the Saint Name of Jesus. It was thereafter refurbished several times, deconsecrated and currently serves as an Auditorium for congresses and concerts.
* In the village of Massama is the small pre-Romanesque church called Oratory of the Souls, showing influences from the [[Visigothic art]] of the 8th century.

==Transport==
Oristano can be reached by train from Sardinia's ports of [[Olbia]] and [[Porto Torres]], and the island's main cities [[Cagliari]] and [[Sassari]]. From Oristano all villages of the province can be reached by buses departing the bus station close to centrally located Piazza G.Manno. Moreover, a private concern provides a twice-daily bus service to and from [[Cagliari Elmas Airport]]. The journey takes approximately 2 hours.

Oristano is served by the [[Oristano-Fenosu Airport|Fenosu Airport]], {{convert|3|km|0|abbr=on}} from the city, and by a cargo sea port. The airport is no longer operating.

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy}}
Oristano is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
* {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Ciutadella de Menorca]], Spain, since 1991
* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Garden City, Kansas]], United States

==See also==
{{portal|Italy}}
* [[Arborea]]
* [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oristano]]

==References==
;Bibliography
*{{cite book|title=Sartiglia, La grande Giostra equestre di Oristano|publisher=Soter|location=Sassari|year=1994}}
*{{cite book|title=''Oristano, La Sartiglia''|publisher=[[L'Unione Sarda]]|location=Cagliari|year=1992}}
;Notes
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
<!--{{wikivoyage|Oristano}}-->
{{commons category-inline|Oristano}}
*{{in lang|it}} [http://www.comune.oristano.it Oristano official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000915223042/http://www.comune.oristano.it/ |date=15 September 2000 }}

{{Province of Oristano}}
{{Historical competitions of Italy}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Oristano| ]]<!--leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:Cities and towns in Sardinia]]