Cagliari Attractions
Cagliari (in Sardinian Casteddu), capital of the autonomous region of Sardinia and the province of Cagliari, lies on the south coast of the island - in the wide Gulf of Cagliari. The oldest part of the town, which was founded by the Phoenicians and became the Roman "Carales", is known as the Castello (Sardinian Castedd'e susu). It clings picturesquely to the slopes of a precipitous hill, around the foot of which are the newer districts and suburbs of the town. To west and east are two large lagoons, the Stagno di Santa Gilla and the Stagno di Molentargius (salt-pans). During roadworks, remains of a medieval town were discovered.
Amphitheater
From the museum, Viale Buon Cammino runs north through the outer courtyard of the Citadel and along the ridge of the hill. In 500m/550yd a road leads down on the left to the Roman amphitheater (88.5m/292ft by 73m/241ft; arena 50m/165ft by 34m/112ft), constructed in a natural depression in the rock, which is now used as an open-air theater. To the southwest lies the Botanic Garden.
Bastione San Remy
A flight of marble steps, the Passeggiata Coperta, climbs to the Bastione San Remy, a magnificent terrace (fine views), laid out on the medieval bastions, which are preserved in part. Higher up, to the north, is the Bastione Santa Caterina, which also commands extensive views.
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Museo Archeologico Nazionale
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale contains a variety of collections, with Punic, Greek and Roman pieces, and a strong collection of Sardinian artifacts.
Viale Regina Elena
From the Piazza della Costituzione, the beautiful Viale Regina Elena, affording fine views, runs north below the sheer east side of the old bastion to the Giardino Pubblico.
Festival of St Efisio
This Festival of St. Efisio is held May 1-4. The festival features one of the largest and most colorful processions in the world involving several thousand pilgrims wearing 16th and 17th century costumes. The processionists accompany the statue of the saint on foot, as well as with horses and carts.
Municipal Art Gallery
Nearby the museum is the Municipal Art Gallery, which contains modern masterpieces of the most important Sardinian artists. Adjoining is a Sardinian ethnographical museum.
Piazza della Costituzione
Via G Manno, a shopping and commercial street popularly known as the Costa, descends southeast from Piazza Yenne to the Piazza della Costituzione. A little way off the Via Garibaldi, which begins here, is the church of San Domenico, with a beautiful cloister.
San Saturno
East of the center of Caliari, in Piazza San Cosimo, is the church of San Saturno, also called Santi Cosma e Damiano. The church (founded in the 6th century; enlarged in the 11th-12th centuries), is dedicated to St Saturnus.
Santuario di Bonario
Farther south stands the Santuario di Bonario, where the famous painting "Madonna of Bonario" can be seen; adjoining the sacristy is a small museum (votive pictures).
Torre dell'Elefante
From the Bastione Santa Caterina Via dell'Università leads northwest to the university (founded 1956; fine library) and the massive Torre dell'Elefante (1307), a fine building in medieval Sardinian style.
Town Hall
The tree-shaded Via Roma runs along the busy harbor quay, with the railroad station and the modern Town Hall (two towers; in the interior murals by F. Filgari) at its northwest end. From the Town Hall the wide Largo Carlo Felice goes northeast, gently uphill, to Piazza Yenne, from which the busy Corso Vittorio Emanuele runs northwest. In Via Tigello, a side street off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, are the remains of three Roman houses.
Cagliari Surroundings
Dolianova - Basilica S Pantaleone, Italy
At Dolianova (212m/700ft) stands the Romanesque-Gothic Basilica S Pantaleone (12th-13th century), with a notable façade; some of the decoration has Arabic features.
Uta - Church of Santa Maria, Italy
The village of Uta, situated on the road to Iglesias, is worth visiting for its Romanesque church of Santa Maria (12th century), the finest country church in Sardinia.
