Banari rises at the foot of the hill called "Pale idda", surrounded by mountains and plateaus of red trachyte.

To the north of the village we can admire the profile of Mount Maiore, while to the south stands the mount "Sa Silva", a place of great naturalistic importance. The territory is also characterized by the presence of numerous springs and rivers, so much so that, according to some scholars, the same name, Banari, could derive from "ana'ry" or "over the rivers".

As attested by the numerous remains of ancient populations, the territory was inhabited since the Neolithic. Even today it is possible to visit the remains of burial structures of the time, the domus de janas, known in Banari as "Sos sette coroneddos", dating back to 1800-1500 B.C.

Starting from 238 b.C. it was the Roman civilization to occupy the area with residential and religious settlements, such as the pagan necropolis found not far from the village.

They are the medieval testimonies, however, that allow to outline with more certainty the history of the village, both from the social and political point of view. Mentioned for the first time on the papal bull of 1125, Banari originated following the fusion of three nuclei (called villae, following the division of the entire Sardinian territory in the judicial era): Vanari (the name of the ancient village) and the monastic centers of San Lorenzo and San Michele, entrusted to the pontifical control.

It was in this period that the economy of the country found its solid roots in agriculture and crafts: the most important activity was the construction of terracotta tools, then exported throughout the island.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Banari was first part of the Giudicato of Torres and from 1259, the year of the death of Adelasia, control of the territory passed to the Doria family. The domination of the feudatories ceased only at the end of the XVIII-th century when rebellions spread throughout the island.

Banari boasts a rich artistic and especially naturalistic historical heritage. Among the most important civil and religious buildings stands the town hall, dating back to the first decades of the 800, located in the central square of the village. The Palace is embellished with decorations and finishes in red trachyte. Of great value is also the same square, known for centuries as "Sas Bovedas" for its houses all equipped with vaults. During the eighteenth century, the square took the name of Largo Riunione, becoming the center of the cultural and social life of the country. Also of great value is the parish church of San Lorenzo Martire, donated in 1113 by the judge of Torres to the Camaldolese monks who took care of it for many years. It is from the early eighteenth century that the church began to take on its present appearance, while in the nineteenth century, during the works of enlargement of the sacristy, it was found, under the high altar, a burial stone containing fragments of bones and ancient parchments attesting the year of construction.

A few steps from the parish church stands the artistic facade of the Romitorio Santa Croce in trachyte red, dating from the early twentieth century.
A few kilometers from Banari, in the fertile valley, there is the Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Cea (originally Seve), formed by a fenced courtyard and surrounded by some buildings known as the "romitorio".

The church of San Michele, in Romanesque style, restored several times over the years, is surrounded by a rich green landscape. Accessible by climbing an important staircase, it is still the place where the ancient festival organized by the Obrieri on the eve of September 9 is held.

As for the natural heritage of the place, of great importance for their variety of flora and fauna are the wildlife oasis of "Badde manna" and the heights of Corona Alta.

Around the territory of Banari there are numerous nuraghi, megalithic stone buildings representing the nuragic civilization (Bronze Age 1800 BC). The main ones are as follows: Nuraghe Su Crapione, built in local white stone; Nuraghe Sa Tanchitta, built in local red stone such as the Nuraghe Corona Alta which owes its name to the dominant position on a vast part of the valley now occupied by the Bidighinzu basin. Also worth mentioning are the nuraghi Chescos, Monte Franca, Buffulinu, Farre, Domu Pabaras.