Parish Church of Saint Peter Apostle
The church of Saint Peter, quoted in Silki St. Peter’s condaghe as Sanctu Petru de Plovake, was the cathedral of Ploaghe medieval diocese since 1090 until 8th December, 1503, when with the bull Aequum reputamus pope Giulio II joined it, together with the Sorres one, to Torres archdiocese. Its entitling to St. Peter Apostle can be seen on the Latin inscription on the façade tympanum: Divo Petro apostolorum principi sacruum.
It has been built in the area of the ancient Byzantine cathedral, between the oratories of Holy Cross and Rosary one, and is delimited on the left side by the Rector’s Palace, while on its front the Town Hall can be found. Its plant, built in XV century, had two naves, to which, in 1687-1690, with a rich legacy by rector Giovanni Battista from Ploaghe (Angius, 1834), on the right part, rector Giommaria Solinas made build up another side nave symmetrical to the first one, with round arches.
They restored the central nave too, building it on to 19 metres, the pointed belfry, and opening a side door, now walled up, which allowed to enter the zimitoriu, the child cemetery. Only the left side nave, on the belfry part, has kept its former acute-angled arches (Della Marmora, 1860). According to Gavino Spanedda, inside the area of the ancient Saint Peter church were two smaller buildings dedicated to St. Anne and St. Barbara, which could be seen in the cemetery area until the XVII-XVIII century. In Sabaud time, in 1741, rector Raimondo de Quesada had more modifications done: he had the church structure enlarged, lengthening it from the fourth pillar, and the façade restored. In 1871 the pillars were strengthened and, in 1920, the marble and slate floor was changed with a marble one.
In closer times, in the years 1955-1956 and 1965-1966, the inner part was once again modified: the valuable ’700 semicircular wooden choir was restored; the wooden tabernacle and main altar were changed with marble ones, while the episcopal thrones, the pulpit and the baptistry with marble and inlaid wood. The eight side chapels have been renewed too. They lost forever the half bust of Ecce Homo (liked by Della Marmora), during the sacristy restoring.
The octagonal belfry, damaged by a lightening on 19th October, 1859 (Rector Cossu, 1859), which has three bells inside, stands tall behind the apse.
Through an external staircase, built on the right side of the façade, you can enter the room where is the mechanism of the two clocks placed, one for each side, on the façade of the church.
The town people can’t help remember this clock without mentioning Giuanninu su mudu (Little John the dumb) who took care of the clocks during many years. This important service, made possible by private and ecclesiastical contributes, was activated in 1873 by the hands of a craftsman from Osilo.
