Situated along the valley of the Rio Quirra, on a hillside, the holy well of Is Pirois was discovered by chance in the 1970s and is one of the best preserved in Sardinia.
The atrium to the well is cordoned off by two masonry faces in sketchily cut blocks of granite. From the trapezoidal entrance with architrave you can access the stairway with 8 steps which lead to the well chamber, closed at the top by a tholos of around 5 metres in height.
Unlike the external faces, the internal and external structure of the well has been created with slabs of local stone (green and blue schist) arranged evenly and precisely. The association of the two techniques makes this monument unusual. Another unusual feature is the presence, above the tholos, of a second chamber, with no access from the outside, which has a hole in correspondence with the internal tholos’ keystone.
The well was served by a continuous spring whose waters are potable. The internal stairway can become completely submerged when it rains heavily.
Take the trunk road SS125 to reach the sacred well in the direction of Tertenia as far as km 88.400. After crossing the rio S. Giorgio, take the dirt track on the right indicated in the sign. Once passed the river you will come to another sign. Carry on for around another 300 m. Leave your car in the car park and then walk about 150 m to the holy well.
