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 | Until about eighty years ago this whole area was just marshland and lakes. Arborea is a unique case in Sardinia because its characteristic architecture meant that it was one of the first examples of Italian rationalist town-planning. It was founded in 1928 during the Fascist period and given the name of Mussolinia, but after the 2nd World War it was re-baptised with its current name. After centuries of neglect the whole area was reclaimed between the 1920s and 1940s and malaria was eradicated. People from all over Italy came and settled here, but mainly from the Veneto region. |
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 | Arborea is situated on the coastal plain south of Oristano, in an area mainly consisting of lagoons and small lakes, the ideal habitat for many species of aquatic birds which come here to nest and reproduce. The most important stretch of water is “S’Ena Arrubia” (Red Stream), an inlet from the sea, that has been trapped by the land and gradually turned into a freshwater lake due to the water coming from the nearby drainage dykes. These wetlands that are now officially a conservation area under the Regional government is home to the rare “fistione turco” (a species of duck with a colourful plumage) and also the purple gallinule. Another feature of the Arborea landscape is the vast pinewood that lies behind the long beach, where today there are a number of well-known hotels and holiday villages. |
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 | It is an ideal setting for horse-riding and long walks. The town centre itself is also characteristic with its mixture of rationalist town-planning and architectural styles typical of the regions where the original settlers came from. In the Town Hall there is an interesting collection of archaeological exhibits found locally dating back to Punic and Roman times and the Middle Ages.
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