In the heart of San Gavino Monreale, among sun-drenched courtyards and the scent of saffron, stands Casa Dona Maxima — a home that holds within its walls centuries of stories, memories, and identity.
Its name comes from its last owner, Donna Massima Orrù, a member of one of the most prominent families of the local landed nobility, the Counts Orrù.
The house dates back to the 16th century, when the Spanish feudal lords of Quirra extended their dominion as far as the lands of the Arburese. In the centuries that followed, it served as a private residence — a silent witness to passing eras and transformations — until the 1970s, when the Municipality of San Gavino Monreale acquired it and turned it into what it is today: a house-museum, a living guardian of collective memory.
Carefully restored and still undergoing further renovation, Casa Dona Maxima preserves the soul of traditional Campidanese architecture: the spacious “sa lolla”, the beating heart of the home, and the surrounding courtyards enclosed by stone walls that seem to whisper echoes of the past.
Since 1994, thanks to the dedication of the cultural association Sa Moba Sarda, the museum has told the story of the region’s roots through an immersive journey into time.
Its rooms display archaeological finds discovered in the area, tools and instruments that recall ancient crafts, and an entire section devoted to San Gavino’s industrial history, with a special focus on the founding of its historic foundry.
Visiting Casa Dona Maxima means more than stepping into a museum — it’s a journey through the centuries, a chance to listen to the voices of those who once lived within these walls, and to rediscover the authentic soul of a town that proudly keeps its history alive.
