๐ฎ๐น Sant'Antioco is the name of both an island and a municipality in south-western Sardinia, in the Province of South Sardinia, in Sulcis zone. The municipality of Sant'Antioco it is the island's largest community. It is also the site of ancient Sulci, considered the second city of Sardinia in antiquity.
Island of Sant'Antioco Sant'Antioco is the second largest island of the Sardinian region, after Sardinia itself, with a surface of 109ย kmยฒ (42ย sqย mi); it is also the fourth largest in Italy after Sicily, Sardinia and Elba. It is located some 87ย km (54ย mi) from Cagliari, to which is connected through the SS126 state road, using a modern bridge. The island is divided between the two municipalities of Sant'Antioco and Calasetta. Other settlements are the small tourist resort of Maladroxia (a frazione of Sant'Antioco municipality) and Cussorgia, part of Calasetta. The coast of the island is in part sandy and in part rocky. The main beaches in the island are Maladroxia and Coaquaddus, in the municipality of Sant'Antioco, and Sotto Torre, Le Saline and Spiaggia Grande in the municipality of Calasetta.
History The island of Sant'Antioco was settled at least from the 5th millennium BC (the so-called culture of San Michele of Ozieri), which was based mainly on fishing and agriculture. Typical tombs (called domus de janas) and menhirs belonging to this culture have been found. The island also housed the nuragic civilization: findings include the Giants' grave of Su Niu de su Crobu ("Crow's Nest").
In the 8th century BC the Phoenicians founded a new settlement, with the name of Sulky (Punic:ย slky) or Solki, of which a tophet (children) necropolis has been excavated. Later (6th century BC) it became a Carthaginian colony, to which another necropolis belongs. The Punic domination ended in the 3rd century BC, when Sulky was conquered by the Romans, who connected it to the mainland through an artificial isthmus. During the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey it sided with the latter, being severely punished after his defeat. During Roman times, it was called Plumbaria, after its lead deposits.
The current city name derives from St. Antiochus, evangelizer of the area, who was martyred in 125 AD. After the decline and the end of the Western Roman Empire, Sant'Antioco was a fortified strong point of the Byzantines. It was repeatedly attacked by the Saracens starting from the early 8th century, and gradually abandoned by the inhabitants who fled to the more protected inner area; the island mainly remained important as the end of pilgrimages devoted to St. Antiochus. A new settlement (bidda in Sardinian) was established around 935 by the judge (the local title for lord) of Cagliari, but this also was abandoned after the end of the giudicato. The island was a territory of the Kingdom of Sardinia (created in 1324) and later was acquired by archbishopric of Cagliari (1503) and, in 1758, by the religious Order of SS. Maurizio and Lazzaro. In the 18th century the area began to be repopulated and toward the mid of the century there were 38 houses, 15 workshops, and 164 huts, with some 450 inhabitants.
In JanuaryโMay 1793 the island was occupied by French troops under admiral Laurent Jean Franรงois Truguet, and the citizens freed from ecclesiastical taxes. The last attack by North African pirates occurred in 1815; the same year in which the relics of the patron saint were brought back to the cathedral.
Tourist Industry โข The Palaeo-Christian Basilica of Sant'Antioco, restored in 1089โ1102 with its catacombs โข Roman bridge โข Roman fountain โข Ancient acropolis โข Phoenician and Punic necropolises โข Tophet โข Hypogeal village โข Ferruccio Barreca Archaeological Museum โข The Forte Su Pisu (1812).
Events In the period from 15 May to 15 June a famous tuna "mattanza" is held, with fishing of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).
Sant'Antioco has a population of over 11,730 people. Sant'Antioco also forms part of the wider South Sardinia Province which has a population of over 354,554 people. Sant'Antioco is situated 18 km south-west of Carbonia.
Twin Towns - Sister Cities Sant'Antioco has links with:
๐ฌ๐ช Sukhumi, Georgia๐บ๐ธ Grand Junction 39.076
๐บ๐ธ Cape May Court House 39.079
๐บ๐ธ Independence 39.08
๐บ๐ธ Fort Thomas 39.081
๐บ๐ธ Lawrenceburg 39.083
๐บ๐ธ Blue Springs 39.018
๐บ๐ธ Silver Spring 39.002
๐ฐ๐ต Mangyongdae 38.991
๐ช๐ธ Ciudad Real 38.983
๐ฉ๐ช Ludwigshafen 8.476
๐ฉ๐ช Groร-Gerau 8.483
๐ฉ๐ช Villingen-Schwenningen 8.453
๐จ๐ญ Affoltern am Albis 8.45
๐ฉ๐ช Ludwigshafen am Rhein 8.447
๐ฉ๐ช Rรผsselsheim am Main 8.433
Locations Near: Sant'Antioco 8.45864,39.0651
๐ฎ๐น Carbonia 8.521,39.174 d: 13.2
๐ฎ๐น Iglesias 8.534,39.313 d: 28.3
๐ฎ๐น Cagliari 9.111,39.215 d: 58.6
๐ฎ๐น Oristano 8.596,39.905 d: 94.2
๐ฎ๐น Sassari 8.554,40.727 d: 185
๐ฎ๐น Olbia 9.5,40.917 d: 224.2
๐ฉ๐ฟ Annaba 7.767,36.91 d: 247.2
๐น๐ณ Bizerte 9.872,37.273 d: 234.5
Antipodal to: Sant'Antioco -171.541,-39.065
๐น๐ด Nuku'alofa -175.216,-21.136 d: 17990.9
๐ฆ๐ธ Pago Pago -170.701,-14.279 d: 17257.8
๐ผ๐ธ Apia -171.76,-13.833 d: 17209.3
๐ต๐ซ Papeete -149.566,-17.537 d: 16814.6
๐บ๐ธ Hilo -155.089,19.725 d: 13257.2
๐บ๐ธ Maui -156.446,20.72 d: 13184
๐บ๐ธ Maui County -156.617,20.868 d: 13172.1
๐บ๐ธ Wailuku -156.505,20.894 d: 13166.6