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History & Fun Facts

The Secrets
of Villagrande Strisaili

4 curiosities and stories

01

The Guinness World Record for Longevity

Villagrande Strisaili holds the Guinness World Record for the highest concentration of male centenarians in the world. Researchers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, analysing the civil registry records of the region, drew a blue circle around the municipalities with the highest male longevity index: that line, which became famous as the 'Blue Zone', had its epicentre right here. The phenomenon has attracted researchers from universities around the world, transforming this mountain village into a living laboratory of health sciences.

02

Cannonau and the polyphenols of a long life

Cannonau wine, a native Sardinian grape variety cultivated for millennia on these hills, contains a concentration of polyphenols — particularly resveratrol and procyanidins — up to three times higher than the average of European wines. Drunk in small quantities during meals, it is considered one of the key factors in local longevity. The shepherds of Villagrande traditionally consume it at breakfast, lunch and dinner, always in moderation, in a social ritual that simultaneously strengthens community bonds.

03

The Largest Municipality in Ogliastra

With more than 210 km² of territory, Villagrande Strisaili is the largest municipality by surface area in the whole of Ogliastra. Its lands encompass forests of centuries-old holm oaks, granite plateaus, the banks of the Flumendosa river and the shores of Lake Alto Flumendosa, as well as vast areas of the Gennargentu National Park. This expanse has allowed agro-pastoral traditions to be preserved intact — traditions that have disappeared elsewhere — keeping alive the direct relationship between community and land.

04

Nuraghi, timber, and a millennia-old identity

The territory of Villagrande is dotted with nuragic remains that attest to continuous human settlement since the second millennium BC. The holm oak and oak forests are home to monumental centuries-old trees protected as natural heritage. Woodworking and pastoral farming are still practised using techniques handed down from generation to generation, and the village comes alive every autumn during Cortes Apertas, when private courtyards open their doors to showcase local craftsmanship, traditions and cuisine.

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