It ranked third in the classic European Tree of the Years 2024: the Patriarca, the thousand-year-old olive tree from Luras in Gallura, obtained just under 14 thousand votes and is the first Italian tree to be positioned behind the "Tre Weeping Beach of Bayeux ", the weeping beech of Bayeux in France and the winner, "Tre Heartof tre Garden" in Poland which totaled just under 40 thousand votes.
The centuries-old Luras tree is considered one of the oldest examples of wild olive present in Sardinia.
He is defined as the "Patriarch of nature" for the wisdom of his age, estimated to be between 3000 and 4000 years old.
Last November 21st, he was awarded during the national tree day, as the winner of the Italian contest, destined to represent Italy at the European competition held yesterday.
With a circumference at breast height of 11.6 meters and 14 meters in height, the tree has a robust and resistant structure, which is a testament to its longevity.
Majestic, the Patriarch rises towards the sky with numerous branches;
its roots, however, sink deep into the soil, testifying to its strong attachment to the earth which has nourished it and made it grow for millennia.
A true symbol of resistance and continuity, the thousand-year-old olive tree of Luras is also at the center of some popular Gallura beliefs: in the past the local inhabitants believed that evil spirits found refuge under its branches.
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