# Sardinia: two UNESCO sites, 28 years apart

> Sardinia has 2 World Heritage sites in 2026: the nuraghe of Su Nuraxi, listed in 1997, and 17 domus de janas tomb sites in 14 towns, added in 2025.

URL: https://myitalia.it/unesco/in-sardegna
Last updated: 2026-09-11

Sardinia has 2 World Heritage sites in 2026, both prehistoric and both entirely Sardinian: Su Nuraxi di Barumini, listed in 1997, and the domus de janas, a serial site of 17 underground tomb areas inscribed in July 2025.

## Two sites, neither shared

Sardinia's list has two entries 28 years apart: Su Nuraxi di Barumini in 1997 and the domus de janas in 2025. Neither is a transregional serial site, which on an island is what you would expect.

The 2025 inscription made the domus de janas Italy's 61st World Heritage site. Italy now has 62, because the Italian list grew again in 2026 with the theatres of central Italy, after the Via Appia in 2024.

## The domus de janas: 17 of 26 proposed

The domus de janas were inscribed in July 2025, at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, as 17 sites selected from the 26 put forward. They are spread over 14 comuni, with Alghero as lead town of the nomination.

The official description calls the group the largest expression of underground funerary architecture in the western Mediterranean.

| Site | Comune |
|---|---|
| Anghelu Ruju | Alghero |
| Puttu Codinu | Villanova Monteleone |
| Monte Siseri, S'Incantu | Putifigari |
| Mesu e Montes | Ossi |
| Su Crucifissu Mannu | Porto Torres |
| Orto del Beneficio Parrocchiale | Sennori |
| Roccia dell'Elefante | Castelsardo |
| Parco dei Petroglifi | Cheremule |
| Sant'Andrea Priu | Bonorva |
| Sa Pala Larga | Bonorva |
| Sos Furrighesos | Anela |
| Ispiluncas | Sedilo |
| Mandras | Ardauli |
| Brodu | Oniferi |
| Istevene | Mamoiada |
| Pranu Mutteddu | Goni |
| Montessu | Villaperuccio |

The two official sources give the site slightly different names and date the inscription to July 12 or July 14, 2025. Neither detail changes a visit, but both explain why searches return two titles.

## Su Nuraxi: guided only, every 30 minutes

Su Nuraxi di Barumini can be visited only with a guide, on departures every 30 minutes, and the tour takes about an hour. The site opens every day of the year with continuous hours.

One ticket covers three places: the nuraghe itself, the Casa Zapata museum and the Centro Giovanni Lilliu, each with its own compulsory guided visit of about 30 minutes. In bad weather or extreme heat the archaeological area may close for safety.

The price and the exact 2026 hours are published only as image files that cannot be read as text, so neither is given here. Groups book by email with the Fondazione Barumini.

## Also on a UNESCO list: canto a tenore, since 2008

Sardinian canto a tenore is one of the two oldest Italian entries on the UNESCO intangible heritage lists, both from 2008. The other is the Opera dei Pupi of Sicily.

That listing belongs to a different convention from World Heritage and does not change the count of 2. It is a tradition you hear, not a site you enter, and no ticket applies.

More in [Sardinia](/regions/sardegna), [Su Nuraxi di Barumini](/attractions/su-nuraxi-di-barumini), [the newest Sardinian site](/stories/sardinia-newest-unesco-site), [nuragic Sardinia](/nature/sardegna-nuragica), [seven days in Sardinia](/itineraries/7-days-sardinia) and [intangible heritage](/best/intangible-heritage).

## FAQ

### How many UNESCO sites does Sardinia have?

Two in 2026, and neither is shared with another region: Su Nuraxi di Barumini, inscribed in 1997, and the domus de janas, inscribed in July 2025 as Italy's 61st World Heritage site. Italy has 62 in total after a further inscription in 2026.

### What are the domus de janas?

They are prehistoric tombs dug underground, and the 2025 listing groups 17 sites, chosen from 26 proposed, across 14 Sardinian comuni, with Alghero as lead town. The official description calls them the largest example of underground funerary architecture in the western Mediterranean.

### Can you visit Su Nuraxi without a guide?

No. Every visit to Su Nuraxi di Barumini is guided, with departures every 30 minutes and a tour of about an hour. The site opens every day of the year, and the same ticket covers Casa Zapata and the Centro Giovanni Lilliu, each with its own guided visit of about 30 minutes.

### Why does the domus de janas site have two names?

Because the two official Italian sources word it differently: 'Arte e architettura della Sardegna preistorica. Le domus de janas' and 'Tradizioni funerarie nella Preistoria della Sardegna: le domus de janas'. They also date the inscription differently, to July 12 or July 14, 2025.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Sardegna ricadono 2 siti UNESCO del Patrimonio Mondiale (2026) | [UNESCO World Heritage Centre](https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/it/); [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/); [Wikidata (query SPARQL su P1435=Q9259, P17=Q38, P757, P131)](https://query.wikidata.org/sparql) | medium | 2027-08-31 |
| Il sito seriale 'Arte e architettura della Sardegna preistorica. Le domus de janas' e' stato iscritto nella Lista del Patrimonio Mondiale nel luglio 2025 come 61° sito italiano: comprende 17 siti (dei 26 proposti) distribuiti in quattordici comuni, con Alghero capofila della candidatura, ed e' la piu' estesa manifestazione di architettura funeraria ipogeica del Mediterraneo occidentale. | [Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Sardegna - Ministero della Cultura](https://musei.sardegna.beniculturali.it/notizie/le-domus-de-janas-riconosciute-patrimonio-mondiale-dellumanita/); [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/news/le-domus-de-janas-sono-il-61-sito-italiano-nella-lista-del-patrimonio-mondiale/) | high | 2099-12-31 |
| Le ultime tre iscrizioni italiane nella Lista del Patrimonio Mondiale sono Via Appia. Regina Viarum (2024), le domus de janas della Sardegna (2025) e il sistema dei teatri condominiali all'italiana dell'Italia centrale (2026) | [UNESCO World Heritage Centre](https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/it/); [doc 2](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1762/); [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/) | high | 2027-08-31 |
| L'Italia ha 62 proprieta' iscritte nella Lista del Patrimonio Mondiale UNESCO | [UNESCO World Heritage Centre](https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/it) | medium | 2027-08-31 |
| Su Nuraxi di Barumini si visita solo con visita guidata obbligatoria, con partenze ogni 30 minuti e durata di circa un'ora; il sito e' aperto tutti i giorni dell'anno con orario continuato e un unico biglietto comprende anche il polo museale Casa Zapata e il Centro Giovanni Lilliu, ciascuno con visita guidata obbligatoria di circa 30 minuti (2026). | [Fondazione Barumini Sistema Cultura](https://www.fondazionebarumini.it/biglietti-e-orari/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| I due elementi italiani piu' antichi nelle liste UNESCO del patrimonio immateriale risalgono al 2008: il canto a tenore sardo e l'Opera dei Pupi siciliana | [UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage](https://ich.unesco.org/en/state/italy-IT?info=elements-on-the-lists); [Ministero della Cultura - Ufficio UNESCO](https://unesco.cultura.gov.it/projects/) | high | 2099-12-31 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/region.sardegna.1600.jpg
Author: Marcello Seddaiu. License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domus_de_janas_di_Pottu_Codinu.jpg

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