From the 1870s, with the unification of Italy, the city experienced
a century of rapid growth. Many outstanding buildings were erected
by the end of the 18th century during the office of Mayor Ottone
Bacaredda. Many of these buildings combined influences from
Art Nouveau together with the traditional Sardinian taste for
flower decoration: an example is the white marble City Hall
near the port. Ottone Bacaredda is also famous for the violent
repression of one of the earlier worker strikes in the beginning
of the 20th century.
During the Second World War, Cagliari was heavily bombed by
the Allies in February 1943. In order to escape from the bombardments
and the misery of the destroyed town, many people left Cagliari
and moved to the country or rural villages, often living with
friends and relatives in overcrowded houses. This flee from
the town is knwon as "sfollamento" (deserting). After
the Italian truce with the Allies in September 1943, the German
Army took control of Cagliari and the island, but soon retreated
peacefully in order to reinforce their positions in mainland
Italy. The American Army then took control of Cagliari. Cagliari
was strategically important during the war because of its location
in the Mediterranean Sea. Many airports were near Cagliari (Elmas,
Monserrato, Decimomannu, currently a NATO airbase) from which
airplanes could fly to Northern Africa or mainland Italy and
Sicily.
After the war, the population of Cagliari boosted and many
apartment blocks were erected in new residential districts,
often created with poor planning as for recreational areas.
Attractions:
Cagliari is home to the football team Cagliari Calcio, winner
of the Italian league championship in 1970, with the team led
by one of the greatest Italian strikers of all times, Gigi Riva.
The old part of the city (called 'Castello', the castle) lies
on top of a hill, with a wonderful view of the Gulf of Cagliari
(aka Angels Gulf). Most of its city walls are intact, and feature
the two 13th century white lime-stone towers, St. Pancras tower
and the Elephant tower. The local white lime-stone was also
used to build the walls of the city and many builidings. D.H.
Lawrence, in his lively memoir of a voyage to Sardinia,Sea and
Sardinia, undertaken in January 1921, described the impressive
effect of the warm Mediterranean sun-light on the white lime-stone
city and compared Cagliari to a "white Jerusalem".
In Castello you can visit the Cathedral, which was repaired
in the 1930s turning the former Baroque facade into a Medieval
Pisan style facade, more akin to the original appearance of
the church. Near the Cathedral is the palace of the Provincial
Government (which used to be the island's governor's palace
before 1900). In Castello is also the Sardinian Archaeological
Museum, the biggest and most important regarding the prehistoric
Nuragic civilisation of Sardinia. Finally, Castello hosts many
craftsmen workshops in its tightened and scenic lanes.
The other early districts of the town(Marina, Stampace, Villanova)
retain much of their original appeal and still seem to function
as distinct villages within the town.
Cagliari, Roman Amphitheatre (2003)Cagliari was inhabited since
pre-historic periods for its favourable position between the
sea and a fertile plain, its being sourrounded by two swamps
(which afforded defences from enemies from inner lands) and
its vicinity to high and green mountains (to which people could
evacuate if everything else was lost). Some testimonies of pre-historic
inhabitants were found in Monte Claro and in Cape Sant'Elia.
An outstanding testimony of the Roman domination is the Roman
Amphitheatre. This is a unique monument in the world because
it is the only Roman amphitheatre carved into a block of rock
(the typical lime-stone on which Cagliari is built). The Amphitheatre
still stages open-air operas and concerts during the summer.
The districts built in the 1930s spot some nice examples of
Art Deco artichecture and some controversial examples of Fascist
neoclassicism, such as the Justice Court (Palazzo di Giustizia)
in the Republic Square. The Justice Court is close to the biggest
town park, Monte Urpinu, with its pine trees and artificial
lakes. The park includes a vast area of a hill. Visitors can
reach the top of the hill by car and enjoy a nice view of Castello
district, the gulf, the swamps and the beach.
Cagliari has one of the longest beaches in an Italian town.
The Poetto beach stretches for 13 km. and was famous for its
white fine-grained sand. A recent controversial intervention
to save the beach from erosion has slightly altered the original
texture of the sand.
Climate:
Cagliari is an ideal location for sailing,hiking and outdoor
sports. It has a mild climate, often refreshed by northern-west
winds. It is close to other beautiful sea-side locations, such
as Chia or Villasimius, still relatively unspoilt by tourism
and is also close to mountain parks, such as Monte Arcosu or
Maidopis, with large forests and wildlife (Sardinian deers,
wild boars, etc.).
Local Cuisine:
Cagliari has some peculiar gastronomic traditions. Many dishes
are based on the wide variety of fish and sea food available.
Although it is possible to trace influences from Spanish gastronomy,
Cagliaritanian food has a distintctive and unique character.
Very good wines are also part of Cagliaritanians' dinners: excellent
wines are in fact produced in the nearby vineyards of the Campidano
plain.
Life in Cagliari has been vividly depicted by Sergio Atzeni,
who set many of his novels and short stories in ancient and
modern Cagliari. Among these, available in English, is "Bakunin's
son".
A church in Cagliari gives its name to Buenos Aires. The Spaniard
who founded Buenos Aires visited the church of Bonaria (fair
winds) and asked for help from the Mary of Bonaria, to whom
the church is dedicated. The church faces the sea and was allegedly
built where a sailor landed after the Mary of Bonaria appeared
in the midst of a tempest and saved the sailor and his ship
from sinking.
