Su Nuraxi di Barumini belongs because it concentrates Sardinia’s distinctive nuraghi tradition in an exceptionally complete archaeological complex. Built on elevated ground west of Barumini, it overlooks a fertile plain and shows how a circular defensive tower developed into a larger fortified settlement. Nuraghi are unique to Sardinia: their truncated-cone towers, dressed stone and corbel-vaulted chambers have no parallel elsewhere in the supplied UNESCO record. The site was inscribed as a cultural property in 1997.

The central tower is the detail that separates Su Nuraxi from a simple prehistoric fort. Originally more than 18.5 metres high, it contained three chambers linked by a spiral staircase, although the uppermost chamber no longer survives. Four subsidiary towers formed a quadrilobate structure around it, joined by a massive curtain wall. A courtyard was later roofed, restricting access to the central tower. Beyond the core are a second outer wall and circular huts, showing the settlement’s expansion as society became more complex and hierarchical.

Su Nuraxi also records change over time rather than a single construction phase. The complex was reinforced in the first half of the 1st millennium BCE under Carthaginian pressure, abandoned in the 6th century BCE and intermittently occupied later; excavations indicate habitation continued until the 3rd century CE. The original planimetric layout remains clear and the buried structures retain high authenticity. A provincial road along the northern boundary affects perception of the archaeological landscape, so the setting deserves as much attention as the masonry itself.