The village of Allai is distinguished by a rich network of squares and historic monuments that reflect the community’s deep cultural and religious heritage. Walking through its streets feels like entering an open-air museum, where every corner tells a story and every square serves as a place of gathering and shared life for its residents.
Piazza Santo Isidoro is the first open space visitors encounter upon reaching the heart of the village. It is also home to the loggias of the Ci.M.A. Museum, where tools and handcrafted objects from Allai’s rural past are on display. Among the highlights are the loggia dedicated to lentisk oil production, the bread loggia with its traditional oven and stone mill, and the cart loggia, which houses a wooden cart and an antique hay baler. A symbol of the village’s rural heritage, this space serves as the perfect starting point for discovering the many other wonders of Allai.
Piazza Falò is the place where, every year, the rituals in honor of Saint Anthony and Saint Sebastian are celebrated - traditions that bring the community together and give rise to great open-air feasts. The piazzas are not merely physical spaces, but places of gathering and celebration, keeping ancient local customs alive.
Piazza dei Balli is a pedestrian square where, each day, elderly residents and children gather in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Adorned with murals by the artist Giovanni Musu, the square serves as the vibrant setting for many public events, including open-air concerts, theatre performances, and outdoor film screenings.
Piazza Monsignor Efisio Marras, known locally as “Pratza e Cresia”, is home to the Church of the Holy Spirit. Built in the 14th century, the church is an important example of Gothic-Aragonese architecture. Its distinctive silhouette is defined by a bell gable and a pointed Gothic portal, while outside stands a column topped by a cross dating to 1503, commemorating the church’s consecration. This sacred site has deep ties to the community of Allai, not only for its religious importance but also for the historical role it has played through the centuries.
Completing Allai’s spiritual and religious landscape is the Church of Santa Maria, another landmark of fundamental importance for the village. Originally built in the 14th century, the church featured a rectangular layout with a sacristy on the right side, pointed arches and a wooden roof structure. In 1960, it was demolished and rebuilt following the original plan, though with a more structure of stone, brick and red roof tiles supported by reinforced concrete arches. In 1987, the church underwent major structural renovation work to address water infiltration problems and stabilize the sacristy.
Thanks to this intervention, the church has been preserved for the local community and remains accessible for future generations.