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The Santa Lucia church and convent, now situated at the edge of the town, were built in the XI century and initially frequented by Byzantine Monarchs called “Basiliani”.
The presence of the Basiliani Monarchs is attested by findings made during the restoration of the cloisters: two small square shelves representing ornaments believed to be of Byzantine origin of the IX – X centuries, a fragment of the octagonal column with protruding vine leaves and traces of a dome shaped roof, are also of Byzantine origin.
Around the year 1000 the Basiliani Monarchs left the convent that was later occupied and looked after by the Benedictines hailed by the sovereign of the historic administration, as well as in other parts of the island.
The history of the church and convent that follows was not documented; therefore it is not possible to accurately recreate their history until 1580, the year the Franciscans arrived in San Gavino.
From restoration works, different construction phases have been uncovered, construction that has transformed the small church-shrine of the XIII century into the present day structure. Such transformations and expansions seem to date back to around 1700, and it also appears clears that works were carried out using materials from the nearby cemetery, amongst which several gravestones with inscriptions in gothic characters, still preserved today in the building, even if some what corroded and ruined over the years.
