Sanctuary of Nostra Signora of Gonare

A couple of minutes' drive from the village of Sarule the Gonare mountain can be found, half of which falls within the territory of Sarule and half within the area of Orani. At the top of the mountain, which can be reached on foot via a centuries-old path that climbs through the woods and granite, the church of Nostra Signora of Gonare occurs. Situated at 1083 metres above sea level, it offers a 360-degree panorama over a good portion of the island, right down to the sea. Legend has that in about 1100 Judge Gonario II of Torres, on his way back from the Crusades in the Middle East, found himself at the mercy of the stormy sea off the east coast of the island. It was a vow made to Our Lady that allowed him to save himself and his crew. In exchange for salvation, the judge would build a church in honour of the Virgin Mary on the first peak he saw from the coast, thus creating the beautiful legacy that has been visited by thousands of visitors and pilgrims since those ancient times.