Piazza IV Novembre was formerly called is argiolas (The Farms), as threshing operations took place there. It also included the last stretches of today’s Vittorio Veneto, Sulis, and Mori streets and the entire Vittorio Emanuele street with surrounding areas. The toponym dates back to Spanish times: in 1690 it is documented as Vicinato di is argiolas; in the 18th century the area was called las argiolas de San Gregorio, as the church dedicated to the saint of the same name had been erected in its vicinity and then later destroyed by fire in 1860. Following a census in 1871 the place name was translated into Italian, and during the 1920s the Census Commission decided to tie the square to the date that marked Italy’s victory in World War I. In 1968, the Ministry of Defense, as part of the events marking the 50th anniversary of the victory, invited Italian cities to dedicate a street or square to the Fourth of November; the city of Quartu Sant’Elena, having already provided for this recognition, responded that it intended to erect a war memorial, a project, however, that was never realized. For many Quartu residents the square is still known as sa praza de is argiolas. Originally, a marble cross, sa Cruxi Santa, was located in the square, a symbol of redemption for those who accessed those places, as nearby was the Fontana de is aggancius, a torture well with hooks on the walls and bottom, into which condemned men were thrown. In the last century the well was filled in and the cross moved about 30 meters. In 2009, the Sustainable Development Education Week, sponsored by UNESCO, addressed the theme “City and Citizenship.” The municipality of Quartu Sant’Elena took part with a project entitled “Let’s Reinvent the Square” considering sustainable urban development and waste recycling a priority. In fact, through the involvement of citizens in a participatory education path to sustainability, the project includes the promotion and redevelopment of the square.
