VIVA - New Active Tourism Itineraries in Villanova

The Church of Santa Maria of Curos is today only partially visible in its elevations. There is no documented evidence mentioning the church. The dating proposed so far, between the twelfth and the thirteenth century, is derived only from a formal analysis of the elevations. On the other hand, a source dating back to 1441 mentions the existence of a village at Curos (Curus) in state of abandon, which might be relevant to the church.
At present, the remaining ruins of the building are set in elevation and belong to a section of the wall face which extends in length for about 18 meters from east to west. Towards the west are a few traces of the base of a semicircular apse. On the opposite side towards the east, after the removal of the ruins connected with the operations of safety and recovery of the monument, the site revealed at foundation level, the traces of an apse then mysteriously replaced by a façade. The remaining wall face was created from square blocks alternate with more unrefined blocks. There is no regular alternation of lighter limestone and darker volcanic stone. The analysis of the only wall face still intact revealed that it was probably a dividing wall between two aisles, most likely barrel vaulted. The southern aisle was covered by reinforcing soffitts set on shelves lying on pilasters.

Despite the inability to carry out archaeological excavations in the area it was possible to define the phases of construction of the building, although with many doubts about its chronology. The first project was probably that of a longitudinal three-aisled church with opposing apses near the nave. This type of building, which is very uncommon in Sardinia, would relate the Church of Curos with the more famous Basilica of San Gavino in Porto Torres, but also with San Simplicio in Olbia, whose western apse is probably the residue of a project similar to the one at Turris, then modified during the construction of the eastern façade. It seems possible that the eastern section of the Church of Santa Maria of Curos followed a similar process, where the apse collapsed prematurely or it was only designed but never built. The assumed chronology for the structuring phase of the building dates back to the second half of the eleventh century, despite all the doubts caused by the absence of documented evidence.