The structural elements are similar to those of the better-known ‘historic’ manor houses in Sardinia, namely the dwellings in the Campidano area with lollas, meaning ‘courtyards’. The difference consists in the fact that here, in the Aragonese House of Fordongianus, they are organised in a completely different way. The courtyard is at the back and it is not immediately accessible by going through the portal. The arcade is not ‘hidden’ by the perimeter walls: you can admire it, in front of the entrance, elegant and welcoming with its seven columns and sloping tile roof. The other big difference compared to the typical Campidano houses is the building material: like various other buildings in Fordongianus, including the Churches of San Pietro and San Lussorio, the ‘Aragonese house’ was built from red trachyte.

Its construction dates back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The portico, however, was rebuilt in recent times with the anastylosis technique, reusing the original parts. The building extends lengthwise, with a series of thirteen adjacent and communicating rooms. As a matter of fact, there are two houses: Casa Sanna and Casa Madeddu, named after the last owners. The ‘front’ part, including the portico and seven rooms - three at the front and four at the back - corresponds to Casa Sanna. A corner door connects the two houses and will lead you into the spaces of Casa Madeddu, with four rooms on the ground floor and two mezzanine rooms above the front bedrooms. The house was ‘divided’ at the end of the 19th century, by walling up the corner door.

You will notice Gothic-Aragonese elements in the decorations of the furnishings both in the arcade and inside. There is a moulded arch over the entrance door, with small columns with carved capitals on the sides. The distinctive inflected arch is beautifully displayed in the small internal portals, while the frames of the niches and windows feature raised diamond tips and diamond shapes. Built-in wardrobes and seats against the windows appear in the rooms. In the courtyard, which is also accessible from a secondary entrance, you’ll find the vegetable garden and garden, the stable and an area intended for parking agricultural carts.

Today the ‘house’ is used as an exhibition space: a series of wire mesh works stands out, depicting female figures engaged in domestic work. Temporary exhibitions are periodically held here. After the visit is over, you can go to discover the other jewels in the territory of the ancient Forum Traiani: a visit to the thermal baths, probably known since prehistoric times and enhanced in Roman times, is a must. The architectural heritage includes the sixteenth-century parish church of San Pietro Apostolo and, one kilometre from the town, a medieval church dedicated to Saint Luxorius, where you can also admire the crypt with the tomb presumed to be of the martyr and the cumbessias where the pilgrims stayed.