Chiesa di Santa Maria

Just below the Castello, the medieval Chiesa di Santa Maria is a much-loved church, venerated for its 14th-century crucifix. One of the oldest in Sardinia, it's known as Lu Cristu Nieddhu (Black Christ) because of the colour the juniper wood has taken on over the centuries. According to local lore, the crucifix helped the townsfolk beat off an attack by a French fleet in 1527.