Tempio Pausania is one of the main cities, with Olbia, of the province of Olbia-Tempio and it is situated near Mount Limbara.
Famous for its mines of cork and granite, the first human settlements are of the Neolithic Ages, evidenced by the traces of bone and flint tools. Important traces are those of the Nuragic period with examples such as the nuraghe Majori, situated along the main road to Palau in a strategic location on a dome shape hill of granite.
The city of Tempio was founded by the Romans. The settlement reunited the districts of Gemellae and Templum at a junction along the road Olbia-Tibula. The small village enlarged on the building and demographic sides during the Sardinian Giudicato and Pisan dominion times and Tempio became an important center from the '500 onwards. It submitted a continuous growth through the XVIII and XIX centuries due to the immigration of influent families from Corsica that invested their resources here and the most important religious and civil building were edified.
Via Roma is the center of the city's life and it connects piazza Gallura with piazza Italia. Along its path there is a small opening, slargo di S. Pietro, where there are some important examples of buildings in granite, the Cathedral and the Oratory of the Rosario. The Cathedral, entitled to San Pietro was rebuilt in the '800 on the ruins of a large church of the '400 of which remain the portal and the apse bell tower. Inside in the third and fourth chapels to the left, there are two superb carved wooden and gold plated altars of the '700 to be visited. The Oratory of the Rosario, near to the Cathedral, proposes a elegant façade of the '700 and a pleasant mix of architectonic styles.
The Sanctuary of Saints Cosma and Damiano, built in 1529 after a pestilence and refurbished between 1835 and 1945, is entirely in granite with a porch façade, a sail shape bell tower and a one nave main structure with a beam roof divided into five archways. The wall frescos are of Carlo Armanni.
Worth a visit: the rail station in Liberty style, with features in granite, brick, plaster, decorations in art deco and paintings of the artist Biasi in the hall and in the waiting room.