The discovery of a portion of the rose window on the façade of the church of Santa Barbara, the patron saint of Sinnai, continues to arouse the attention of residents . Restoration work on the church's façade and bell tower is still ongoing. Many are wondering what will become of this rose window (or rather, of a portion of this work, which was reportedly severely damaged in the 18th century to replace a large window to better illuminate the church's interior).

The remains of the rose window will be preserved, visible both inside and outside the church. The news was announced by Don Mario Pili , parish priest of the Cathedral of San Pantaleo in Dolianova and director of the Cultural Heritage Office of the Diocese of Cagliari.

«The restoration work on the facade and bell tower of the parish of Santa Barbara Virgin and Martyr in Sinnai – recalled Don Pili – was financed thanks to the 8x1000 funds to the Catholic Church , granted by the Italian Episcopal Conference (70%), and co-financed by the parish community itself (30%)».

The diocese's director of cultural heritage also recalls that "the church's façade took on its current appearance in the second half of the 19th century, when, following the partial collapse of the top of the bell tower and its subsequent reconstruction, it was decided to embellish it in neoclassical style, characterizing it with a large triangular tympanum supported by four pilasters that frame, in the center, the large entrance portal and the lunette above."

"In the 1960s," added Don Pili, "the façade and part of the bell tower were clad in travertine slabs, a material foreign to Sardinian building tradition and the style of the church itself . Following several detachments of travertine and some structural damage to the octagonal body of the bell tower, it was recently decided to carry out a radical restoration project . The project, approved by the ABAP Superintendency of Cagliari, involved the removal of the entire travertine cladding and the restoration of the façade and bell tower, with the aim of restoring the church's facade to its pre-1960s appearance, eliminating the superfluous additions."

The work, which began in late September 2024, revealed more than a few surprises . "Following the removal of the stone cladding," Don Pili explains, " traces of the pre-existing late Gothic façade, against which the neoclassical one had been added, resurfaced. The most significant element is the large circular oculus with some tracery. Probably, during the 18th century, the rose window was partially sacrificed in favor of a brighter rectangular window, which unfortunately destroyed much of the tracery."

But this wasn't the only surprise. "The investigations carried out on the bell tower," adds the director of the Diocesan Cultural Heritage Office, "have highlighted several structural issues that were neither foreseen nor foreseeable during the design phase. Within the masonry, in fact, five iron chain rings were discovered at various levels. Tests conducted revealed that their stability was so compromised that, if not replaced, they risk collapsing and causing irreparable damage to the entire tower."

Therefore, through ongoing dialogue with Superintendency officials (superintendent, architects, and art historians), the project management is evaluating all possible solutions to address the situation. Specifically, a project to consolidate the bell tower is being studied, while simultaneously seeking a solution that will enhance the few surviving elements of the rose window on the main façade . "Like any restoration project, this too requires time for discussion, reflection, and study. After a long period of unfavorable weather conditions," Don Pili concluded, "work has recently resumed, and in the meantime, the necessary studies are continuing to adopt the most appropriate solutions to the issues that have emerged."

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