Olbia

For other places called Olbia, see Olbia (disambiguation).

Olbia
—  Comune  —
Comune di Olbia
Coat of arms
Olbia Location of Olbia in Italy
Coordinates: 40°55′N 09°30′E / 40.917°N 9.5°E / 40.917; 9.5
Country	Italy
Region	Sardinia
Province	Olbia-Tempio (OT)
Frazioni	Berchiddeddu, Murta Maria, Pittulongu, Rudalza-Porto Rotondo, San Pantaleo
Government
– Mayor	Giovanni Enrico Giovannelli
Area
– Total	376.10 km2 (145.2 sq mi)
Population (2010)
– Total	56,231
– Density	149.5/km2 (387.2/sq mi)
Demonym	Olbiesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
– Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	07026
Dialing code	0789
Patron saint	San Simplicio
Saint day	May 15
Website	Official website

Olbia (Italian: [ˈɔlbja] ( listen), or locally [ˈolbja]; Gallurese Tarranòa, Sardinian: Terranòa) is a town and comune of 56,231 inhabitants (2010) in northeastern Sardinia (Italy), in the Gallura sub-region. Called Olbia in the Roman age, Civita in the Middle Ages (Giudicati period) and Terranova Pausania before the 1940s, Olbia was again the official name of the town after the period of Fascism.

Geography

Location of Olbia in northern Sardinia.

the harbour.

It is the economic centre of this part of the island (commercial centres, food industry) and is very close to the famous Costa Smeralda tourist area. It is an administrative capital (together with Tempio Pausania) of the province of Olbia-Tempio, operative since 2005. A dynamic city, which presents itself as a tourist destination, for the beauty sea and beaches and also for the large number of places of cultural interest to visit.

History

Olbia (the name is of Greek origin) is very ancient and was possibly founded by the Punics, according to the archaeological findings. It contains ruins from Phoenician and Carthaginian settlement to the Roman Era, when it was an important port, and the Middle Ages, when it was the capital of the Giudicato of Gallura, one of the four independent states of Sardinia.

Main sights

• the Romanesque former cathedral of San Simplicio (11th-12th century).
• the Church of St. Paul Apostle (medieval period)
• National Archaeology Museum

Demographics

Transportation

Olbia is the main connection between Sardinia and the Italian peninsula, with an airport (Olbia - Costa Smeralda), a passenger port (Olbia-Isola Bianca), and a railway from Olbia railway station to Porto Torres, Golfo Aranci and Cagliari. There is an expressway to Nuoro and Cagliari (SS131) and national roads to Sassari (SS199-E840), Tempio Pausania (SS127), and Palau (SS125).

Economy

Meridiana Fly has its head office on the grounds of Olbia - Costa Smeralda Airport.^[1]

References

1. ^ "Read the Legal Info of Meridiana fly S.p.a." Meridiana Fly. Retrieved on 22 June 2010.

External links

Italy portal

Media related to Olbia at Wikimedia Commons

• Olbia travel guide from Wikitravel
• Official website (Italian)
• City of Olbia