Bitti

Bitti is a comune in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region of Sardinia. It is located about north of Cagliari and about north of Nuoro. Bitti borders the municipalities of Alà dei Sardi, Buddusò, Lodè, Lula, Nule, Onanì, Orune, Osidda, and Padru.

History

The commune takes its name from the Sardinian language term bitta for female deer. There had been evidence of a pre-historic Nuragic civilization settlement on the land where Bitti is located. This came from a series of granite huts and temples that extended up to a plateau in the nearby forest. There was evidence that it was already existing in Roman times. The name of Bitti came from a 2nd-3rd century AD settlement. it is mentioned in 1170 as Bitthe. Bitti was a provincial capital of the Giudicato of Gallura and, from the 14th century, was part of the Giudicato of Torres. It was later included in the marquisate of Orani. The modern village was constructed and developed around the Roman Catholic Church of St George's.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, the Bitti residents regularly cleaned their streets and decorated them with flowers, which was promoted by the municipal government to create a sense of community. In 2024, Bitti gained international attention due to the priest of St George's conducting Mass and giving sermons in the local bars with beer after. This was done to alleviate waning church attendance and to get Christian worship open in the community.

Main sights

Su Romanzesu nuragic archaeological complex
Church of ''Santu Jorgi''