L’edificio, conosciuto anche come “Terme di Mesumundu” è stato costruito sui resti di antiche terme romane (età tardo imperiale) che utilizzavano la vicina sorgente di S’Abba Uddi.

La chiesa risale all’età bizantina, lo testimonia l’utilizzo di una tecnica costruttiva (ad opus listatum) che mostra filari alterni di mattone cotto di colore rosso e pietre in basalto.

L’edificio è stato modificato nel 1065 quando il giudice Torchitorio Barisone I de Lacon-Gunale ne fece dono ai benedettini di Montecassino.

Ancient buildings and structures are often reused or even completely dismantled in order to recover construction material for new buildings: this is the phenomenon of ‘reuse’, one of the most typical manifestations of the process of continuous transformation that characterises life and therefore also human cultures.

The Church of St Mary of Mešumùndu is a good example of this, as it was built on the ruins of ancient Roman baths from the late imperial period.

However, the building also has other original elements, both in its layout and in the use of the opus listàtum construction technique, which consists of alternating rows of red bricks and basalt stones.

The use of this masonry technique can be considered proof of the building’s Byzantine origin, as also attested by the burials found in the vicinity.

The discovery of a 7th-century inscription provides a significant chronological date for the original structure.

The identification of this church with that of Santa Maria di Bubàlis, donated to the abbey of Montecassino in 1065 by the Turret judge Torcotorio Barisone I de Làcon-Gunale, is considered certain.

An enlargement of the structure dates back to the Judicates period, with the construction of the apses in basalt ashlars and the entradosso recessed with respect to the impost line.

The use of the ‘sack’ technique in some wall sections can be traced back to the 11th century.

The plan of the church is vaguely cruciform: the effect is obtained by the connection between four differently shaped bodies of the building and a central rotunda of greater height.

A small apse opens in the east wall of the north-eastern wing; two other apses of different sizes open to the north-east and south-west.

Finally, the large lights on the south-west side and the single-light window in the north room date from different periods.

The originality of this place of worship is surprising every time you look at it.

D. Scano, Storia dell’arte in Sardegna dal XI al XIV secolo, Cagliari-Sassari, Montorsi, 1907, pp. 217-221;

R. Delogu, L’architettura del Medioevo in Sardegna, Roma, La Libreria dello Stato, 1953, pp. 82;

G. Maetzke, “Siligo (Sassari). Resti di edificio romano e tombe di epoca tardo imperiale attorno a Santa Maria di Mesumundu”, in Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, XIX, 1965, pp. 307-314;

R. Caprara, “Tarda Antichità e Medioevo”, in Il Museo Sanna in Sassari, Cinisello Balsamo, Amilcare Pizzi, 1986, pp. 169-184;

R. Caprara, “L’età altomedievale nel territorio del Logudoro Meilogu”, in Il Nuraghe Santu Antine nel Logudoro Meilogu, Roma, 1988, pp. 397-432;

R. Serra, La Sardegna, collana “Italia romanica”, Milano, Jaca Book, 1989, pp. 402-403;

R. Coroneo, Architettura romanica dalla metà del Mille al primo ‘300, collana “Storia dell’arte in Sardegna”, Nuoro, Ilisso, 1993, sch. 31;

A. Teatini, “Alcune osservazioni sulla primitiva forma architettonica della chiesa di Nostra Signora di Mesumundu a Siligo (Sassari)”, in Sacer, III, 1996, pp. 119-149;

R. Coroneo-R. Serra, Sardegna preromanica e romanica, collana “Patrimonio artistico italiano”, Milano, Jaca Book, 2004, pp. 345-347;

R. Coroneo, Chiese romaniche della Sardegna. Itinerari turistico-culturali, Cagliari, AV, 2005, pp. 39-40.