Cagliari
Encyclopedia
Cagliari (ˈkaʎʎari; ) is the capital of the island of Sardinia
, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships (metropolitan area
): Elmas
, Assemini
, Capoterra
, Selargius
, Sestu
, Monserrato
, Quartucciu
, Quartu Sant'Elena
.
An ancient city with a long history, Cagliari has seen the rule of several civilizations. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia
(which in the 1861 became the Kingdom of Italy
) from 1324 to 1720 and from 1798 to 1815. Seat of the important University of Cagliari
and the Primate Roman Catholic archdiocese of Sardinia, the city is an important regional cultural, educational, political and artistic centre, known for its diverse Art Nouveau
architecture and several monuments. It is also Sardinia's economic and industrial hub, having one of the biggest ports in the Mediterranean sea
, an international airport
, and the 28th highest income rate in Italy, comparable to several Northern cities, such as Turin
, Vicenza
and Genoa
.
Under the name of Karalis it was established around the 7th century BC as one of a string of Phoenicia
n colonies in Sardinia, including Tharros
. Its foundation is expressly assigned to its opportune situation for communication with Africa as well as its excellent port, it doubtless assumed under their government the same important position it occupied under the Romans. It passed with the rest of the island first to the control of Carthage and then to Rome in 238 BC when the Romans defeated the Carthaginians. No mention of it is found on the occasion of the Roman conquest of the island; but during the Second Punic War
, it was the headquarters of the praetor, T. Manlius, from whence he carried on his operations against Hampsicora and the Carthaginians, and appears on other occasions also as the chief naval station of the Romans in the island, and the residence of the praetor.
Florus
calls it the urbs urbinum, or capital of Sardinia, and represents it as taken and severely punished by Gracchus, but this statement is wholly at variance with the account given by Livy, of the wars of Gracchus, in Sardinia, according to which the cities were faithful to Rome, and the revolt was confined to the mountain tribes. In the Civil War
between Caesar
and Pompey
, the citizens of Caralis were the first to declare in favor of the former, an example soon followed by the other cities of Sardinia; and Caesar himself touched there with his fleet on his return from Africa. A few years later, when Sardinia fell into the hands of Menas
, the lieutenant of Sextus Pompeius
, Caralis was the only city which offered any resistance, but was taken after a short siege.
Cagliari continued to be regarded as the capital of the island under the Roman Empire
, and though it did not become a colony, its inhabitants obtained the rights of Roman citizens.
A Christian community is attested in Cagliari at least as early as the 3rd century, and by the end of the century the city had a Christian bishop. In the middle decades of the 4th century the bishop Lucifer of Cagliari developed the so-called Luciferian heresy. He was banished to the desert of Thebais by the emperor Constantius.
After the fall of the Western Empire Cagliari fell, together with the rest of Sardinia, into the hands of the Vandals
, but appears to have retained its importance throughout the Middle Ages.
Claudian describes the ancient city as extending to a considerable length towards the promontory or headland, the projection of which sheltered its port: the latter affords good anchorage for large vessels; but besides this, which is only a well-sheltered road-stead, there is adjoining the city a large salt-water lake, or lagoon, called the Stagno di Cagliari
, communicating by a narrow channel with the bay, which appears from Claudian to have been used in ancient times as an inner harbor or basin. The promontory adjoining the city is evidently that noticed by Ptolemy , but the Caralitanum Promontorium of Pliny
can be no other than the headland, now called Capo Carbonara, which forms the eastern boundary of the Gulf of Cagliari, and the southeast point of the whole island. Immediately off it lay the little island of Ficaria, now called the Isola dei Cavoli.
, Cagliari became the eponymous capital of an independent kingdom or giudicato, ruled by a giudice or judike (literally "judge"). However, there is some evidence that during this period of independence from external rule, the city was deserted because it was too exposed to attacks by Moorish
pirates from the sea. Apparently many people left Caralis and founded a new town (named Santa Igia) in an area close to the Santa Gilla swamp on the west of Cagliari, but relatively distant from the sea. The giudicato of Cagliari comprised a large area of the Campidano plain, the mineral resources of the Sulcis region and the mountain region of Ogliastra. There were other three independent and autonomous giudicati
in Sardinia: Logudoro (or Torres) in the northwest, Gallura
in the northeast, and in the east the most famous, the long-lived Giudicato of Arborea, with Oristano
as its capital.
In 1089, Constantine Salusio de Lacon
appeared with the title of rex et iudex Caralitanus ("King and Judge of Cagliari").
During the 11th century, the Republic of Pisa
began to extend his political influence over the giudicato of Cagliari. Pisa and the other maritime republic of Genoa
had a keen interest in Sardinia because it was a perfect strategic base for controlling the commercial routes between Italy and North Africa.
In 1215 the Pisan Lamberto Visconti, giudice of Gallura, obtained by force from the Torchitorio IV of Cagliari
and his wife Benedetta
the mount located east of Santa Igia
. Soon (1216/1217) Pisan merchants founded in this mount a new fortified city that will be known as "Castel di Castro", which can be considered as the ancestor of the modern city of Cagliari. Some of the fortifications that still surround the current district of Castello (Casteddu 'e susu in the Sardinian language) were built by the Pisans, most notably the two remaining white limestone towers designed by architect Giovanni Capula (originally there were three towers that guarded the three gates that gave access to the district). Together with the district of Castello, Castel di Castro comprised the districts of Marina
(which included the port) and later Stampace and Villanova
. Marina and Stampace were guarded by walls, while Villanova, which mainly hosted peasants, was not.
In 1258 after the defeat of the William III
, the last giudice of Cagliari, the Pisans and their Sardinian allies (Arborea, Gallura and Logudoro) destroyed the old capital of Santa Igia. The Giudicato of Cagliari was divided into three parts: the northwest third, went to Gallura; the centre was incorporated into Arborea; the region of Sulcis
and Iglesiente
, on the west, were given to the Pisan della Gherardesca family, while the Republic of Pisa maintained the control over his colony of Castel di Castro.
During the 14th century the Kingdom of Aragon
conquered Cagliari (Castel di Castro) after a battle against the Pisans. When Sardinia was finally conquered by the Catalan-Aragonese army, Cagliari (Castel de Càller or simply Càller in Catalan
) became the administrative capital of the newborn Kingdom of Sardinia, one of the many kingdoms forming the Crown of Aragon
, which later came under the rule of the Spanish Empire
. However, due to the increasing importance of the Americas within the Spanish Empire, Sardinia and Cagliari lost importance.
The kings of Aragon, and later the kings of Spain, were represented in Cagliari by a viceroy.
. As ruler of Sardinia, the Savoys took the title of kings of the Sardinian kingdom. The Sardinian kingdom comprised Savoy and Nice
(currently in France), Piedmont
and Liguria
, as well as Sardinia. Although Sardinian by name, the kingdom had its capital in Turin, in mainland Italy, where the Savoys resided. The parliament was also in Turin
and its members were mainly aristocrats from Piedmont
or the mainland.
In the late 18th century, during the Napoleonic wars
, France tried to conquer Cagliari because of its strategic role in the Mediterranean sea. A French army landed on the Poetto beach and moved towards Cagliari, but the French were defeated by Sardinians who decided to defend themselves against the revolutionary army. People from Cagliari hoped to receive some concession from the Savoys in return for their defending the town: for example, aristocrats from Cagliari asked for a Sardinian representative in the parliament
of the kingdom. When the Savoys refused any concession to the Sardinians, inhabitants of Cagliari rose up against the Savoys and expelled all representatives of the kingdom and people from Piedmont. This insurgence is celebrated in Cagliari during the "Die de sa Sardigna" (Sardinian Day) on the last weekend of April. However the Savoys regained control of the town after a brief period of autonomous rule.
of Italy, the city experienced a century of rapid growth. Many outstanding buildings were erected by the end of the 19th 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 World War II Cagliari was heavily bombed by the Allies
in February 1943. In order to escape from the bombardment
s 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 flight from the town is known as "sfollamento" (deserting).
After the Italian armistice
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 rebounded and many apartment blocks were erected in new residential districts, often created with poor planning as for recreational areas.
: it will rise on the Sant'Elia promenade. Another already started project is the Cagliari metro: the first line is already running from Piazza Repubblica to Monserrato, one of Cagliari suburbs, and will be soon connected to the University campus; works for other lines to all the city suburbs and the airport will be soon started. The promenade from the old harbour to Sant'Elia will be totally restored. The old port in Via Roma, now to be used only as tourist and cruise port (where the cruise terminal is already finished), will be closed to ferry-boats, which will be moved to the new port in "porto canale".
All Sant'elia district will be changed, the old ruined apartment buildings will be demolished and a new district designed by Rem Koolhaas
will rise. Also the Stadium will be demolished and rebuilt as a new stadium, with 25,000 covered seats, usable for concerts and events too. On the promenade will also rise a great amphitheatre (20,000 seats) for concerts, as well as an aquarium where now is the old salt production plant. Other projects include the new district near the Santa Gilla pond (Piazza Santa Gilla), a luxurious beauty-center on the Poetto beach, where now is the old abandoned "Marino" hospital, the new university campus, designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha
, and the new "Parco della musica", a great park with an amphitheatre and fountains, channels and water-games, between T-hotel and the Civic Theatre; the latter will be finished by the end of the year, while the other works will be finished by 2010–2011.
, with hot, dry summers and very mild winters. Its climate is comparable to that of Adelaide
, but it is often refreshed by north-westerly winds.
and its several parks including the "Regional Park of Molentargius", where particular species of flora and fauna such as the Phoenicopterus ruber, Ardea purpurea, Himantopus himantopus etc. can be observed. Major parks of the city include:
In addition it is the home of the Monumental Cemetery of Bonaria
, recognised as one of the significant cemeteries in Europe . Some mountain parks, such as Monte Arcosu or Maidopis, with large forests and wildlife (Sardinian deer, wild boars, etc.) are located near the city.
Cagliari is close to other beautiful seaside locations, such as Maddalena Beach, Chia or Villasimius
, still relatively unspoilt by tourism.
As of 2009, 96.91% of the population was Italian
while the largest immigrant group came from East Asia
and other European nations mostly from Ukraine
and Romania
. The overwhelming majority of persons are Roman Catholic.
Between the 1980s and the 1990s the population of Cagliari was around 220,000. During this period four municipal districts became autonomous municipalities
with some local referendums. So, due to the separation of Quartucciu
(12,527 inhabitants in 2009) in 1983, Elmas
(8,977 inhabitants in 2009) in 1989, Monserrato
(20,603 inhabitants in 2009) and Selargius
(29,099 inhabitants in 2009) in 1991, Cagliari passed from circa 220,000 to 160,000 residents. Without this detachment the municipal population of Cagliari could be of 228,347.
The conurbation
area of Cagliari who include the metropolitan area plus the comuni of : Pula
, Villa San Pietro
, Sarroch
, Villaspeciosa
, Uta, Decimoputzu
, Villasor
, Serramanna
, Nuraminis
, Monastir
, San Sperate
, Ussana
, Serdiana
, Dolianova
, Sinnai
, Maracalagonis
, Soleminis
reach a population of almost 500.000 individuals .
, in his lively memoir of a voyage to Sardinia, Sea and Sardinia
, undertaken in January 1921, described the effect of the warm Mediterranean sun-light on the white limestone city and compared Cagliari to a "white Jerusalem". The city is said to be built on seven hills (Sant'Elia, Bonaria, Monte Urpinu, Castello, Monte Claro, Tuvixeddu and San Michele).
Saint Remy Bastion (The following is a direct translation of the entry in the Italian version of Wikipedia):
The Promenade Deck and the Terrazza Umberto I, the latter built on the old ramparts of the Spur, were designed in 1896 by engineer Joseph Costa and Fulgenzio Setti. The entire building is in the classical style, with Corinthian columns, and was built of white and yellow limestone. It was opened in 1901. The staircase with two flights, by which you enter from Constitution Square, is interrupted in a covered walkway, and ends beneath the Arc de Triomphe, in the Terrazza Umberto I. In 1943, during the Second World War, the staircase and the Arch of Triumph were severely damaged by aerial bombardment, but after the war were faithfully reconstructed.
From the Terrazza Umberto I, accessed via a short flight of steps, is the Bastion of Santa Caterina, where there was an old Dominican convent, destroyed by fire in 1800. It is said that in the austere surroundings of the monastery, the conspiracy to kill the Viceroy Camarassa in 1668, the most dramatic episode of blood in the history of the city under Spanish rule, was laid.
The Promenade Deck, since it was inaugurated in 1902, has been variously used. At first it was used as a banqueting hall, then during the First World War was used as an infirmary. In the thirties, during the period of sanctions, it was an exhibition of autarchy. During the Second World War it was used as a shelter for displaced people whose homes had been destroyed by bombs. In 1948 it hosted the first Trade Fair of Sardinia. After many years of neglect, the Promenade was restored and re-evaluated as a cultural space reserved especially for art exhibitions.
The Cathedral
was restored in the 1930s turning the former Baroque façade into a Medieval Pisan style façade, more akin to the original appearance of the church from the 13th century. The bell tower is original. The interior has a nave and two aisles, with a pulpit (1159–1162) sculpted for the Cathedral of Pisa but later donated to Cagliari. The crypt houses the remains of martyrs found in the Basilica of San Saturno (see below). 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 Basilica of San Saturnino
is one of the most important Palaeo-Christian monuments in Sardinia. Dedicated to the martyr killed under Diocletian
's reign, Saturninus of Cagliari
(patron saint of the city), it was built in the 5th century. Of the original building the central part remain and the dome, to which two armes (one with a nave and two aisles) was added. A Palaeo-Christian crypt is also under the church of San Lucifero (1660), dedicated to Saint Lucifer
, a bishop of the city. This has a Baroque façade with ancient columns and sculpted parts, some of which found in the nearby necropolis
.
The Chiesa della Purissima is a church from the 16th century.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bonaria was built by the Catalans in 1324–1329 during the siege to the Castle in which the Pisans had taken shelter. It has a small Gothic portal in the façade while the interior houses a wooden statue of the Madonna, which was thrown off a Spanish ship and landed at the foot of the Bonaria hill. The cloister of the convent is home to the Marinery Museum.
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.
Considerable other remains of the ancient city are still visible at Cagliari, the most striking of which are those of the Roman Amphitheatre, carved into a block of rock (the typical limestone from which Cagliari is built), and of an aqueduct; the latter a most important acquisition to the city, where fresh water is scarce. There exist also ancient cisterns of vast extent: the ruins of a small circular temple, and numerous sepulchres on a hill outside the modern town, which appears to have formed the necropolis of the ancient city. (Smyth's Sardinia, pp. 206, 215; Valery, Voyage en Sardaigne, c. 57.) The Amphitheatre still stages open-air operas and concerts during the summer.
The districts built in the 1930s sport some nice examples of Art Deco
architecture 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. The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Cagliari
, the city's botanical garden
, is also of interest.
Cagliari has one of the longest beaches in Italy. 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.
has its headquarters in town, and Cagliari also has one of the biggest container terminals on the Mediterranean sea. Many multinational corporations like Coca Cola, Heineken
, Unilever
, Bridgestone
and Eni Group
have factories in town. Tourism is also one of the major industries of the city, with cruise ships touring the Mediterranean often making Cagliari a stop off for passengers.
Cagliari, with an average per capita income
of 22.226 euro, has an economic level comparable to that of the northern and central Italian cities.
, winner of the Italian league championship in 1970, with the team led by Gigi Riva. Cagliari is an ideal location for water sports such as surfing
, kitesurfing
, windsurfing
and sailing
due to strong and reliable favourable winds. Hiking
is also popular.
Sport venues in Cagliari include:
, the first university in Sardinia, founded in 1620.
Cagliari has some peculiar gastronomic traditions. Many dishes are based on the wide variety of fish and sea food available, for example, burrida. Although it is possible to trace influences from Spanish cuisine, Cagliaritanian food has a distinctive 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, such as Bakunin's Son, in ancient and modern Cagliari.
The Basilica of Bonaria 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.
It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Cagliari.
The main opera house of Sardinia, Teatro Lirico
, has its quarters in Cagliari.
(a Quartu Sant'Elena
)
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships (metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
): Elmas
Elmas
Elmas is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region of Sardinia, located about 8 km northwest of Cagliari....
, Assemini
Assemini
Assemini is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 12 km northwest of Cagliari in the plain of the Cixerri, Flumini Mannu and Sa Nuxedda rivers. It includes notable forest area which are part of the Sulcis Regional Park...
, Capoterra
Capoterra
Capoterra is a town and comune in the province of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy.It is located on the western arm of the Golfo degli Angeli, c. 15 km from Cagliari. Economy is mostly based on agriculture, although the tourism sector grew notably in the past decades....
, Selargius
Selargius
Selargius is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 6 km northeast of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 28,548 and an area of 26.7 km².-History:...
, Sestu
Sestu
Sestu is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 10 km north of Cagliari.-External links:* * *...
, Monserrato
Monserrato
Monserrato is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 5 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Still 1991, when it was separated with a local referendum, Monserrato was a district of Cagliari...
, Quartucciu
Quartucciu
Quartucciu is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 8 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Before the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Quartucciu was attacked by the Vandals...
, Quartu Sant'Elena
Quartu Sant'Elena
Quartu Sant'Elena is a city and comune in the Province of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. It is the third biggest city of Sardinia with a population of c. 71,000 as of 2008.- History:...
.
An ancient city with a long history, Cagliari has seen the rule of several civilizations. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
(which in the 1861 became the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
) from 1324 to 1720 and from 1798 to 1815. Seat of the important University of Cagliari
University of Cagliari
The University of Cagliari is a university located in Cagliari, Italy. It was founded in 1620 and is organized in 11 Faculties.-History:The Studium Generalis Kalaritanum was founded in 1606 along the lines of the old Spanish Universities of Salamanca, Valladolid and Lérida...
and the Primate Roman Catholic archdiocese of Sardinia, the city is an important regional cultural, educational, political and artistic centre, known for its diverse Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
architecture and several monuments. It is also Sardinia's economic and industrial hub, having one of the biggest ports in the Mediterranean sea
Port of Cagliari
The Port of Cagliari is one of the largest Italian seaports and one of the largest seaports in the Mediterranean Sea basin, with an annual traffic capacity of around 50 million tonnes of cargo and 1,000,000 TEU's....
, an international airport
Cagliari-Elmas Airport
Cagliari-Elmas Airport is an international airport located in the territory of Elmas, near Cagliari, on the island of Sardinia, Italy. The airport was upgraded in 2003 and the terminal was expanded and provided with 6 loading bridges for passenger boarding, with a capacity of 4 millions...
, and the 28th highest income rate in Italy, comparable to several Northern cities, such as Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
.
Early history
Cagliari has been inhabited since ancient times. It occupies a favourable position between the sea and a fertile plain, and is surrounded by two swamps (which afforded defences from enemies from inner lands) and is close to high and green mountains (to which people could evacuate if everything else was lost). Some testimonies of prehistoric inhabitants were found in Monte Claro and in Cape Sant'Elia.Under the name of Karalis it was established around the 7th century BC as one of a string of Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
n colonies in Sardinia, including Tharros
Tharros
Tharros was an ancient city on the west coast of Sardinia, Italy, and is currently an archaeological site near the village of San Giovanni di Sinis, municipality of Cabras, in the Province of Oristano...
. Its foundation is expressly assigned to its opportune situation for communication with Africa as well as its excellent port, it doubtless assumed under their government the same important position it occupied under the Romans. It passed with the rest of the island first to the control of Carthage and then to Rome in 238 BC when the Romans defeated the Carthaginians. No mention of it is found on the occasion of the Roman conquest of the island; but during the Second Punic War
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
, it was the headquarters of the praetor, T. Manlius, from whence he carried on his operations against Hampsicora and the Carthaginians, and appears on other occasions also as the chief naval station of the Romans in the island, and the residence of the praetor.
Florus
Florus
Florus, Roman historian, lived in the time of Trajan and Hadrian.He compiled, chiefly from Livy, a brief sketch of the history of Rome from the foundation of the city to the closing of the temple of Janus by Augustus . The work, which is called Epitome de T...
calls it the urbs urbinum, or capital of Sardinia, and represents it as taken and severely punished by Gracchus, but this statement is wholly at variance with the account given by Livy, of the wars of Gracchus, in Sardinia, according to which the cities were faithful to Rome, and the revolt was confined to the mountain tribes. In the Civil War
Caesar's civil war
The Great Roman Civil War , also known as Caesar's Civil War, was one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire...
between Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
and Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
, the citizens of Caralis were the first to declare in favor of the former, an example soon followed by the other cities of Sardinia; and Caesar himself touched there with his fleet on his return from Africa. A few years later, when Sardinia fell into the hands of Menas
Menas
Menas, a men's personal name, could refer to any of the following persons:* Patriarch Mennas of Constantinople* Menas, Emperor of Ethiopia.* Saint Menas of the Coptic Christianity, speculated to be the same person known as Saint Christopher....
, the lieutenant of Sextus Pompeius
Sextus Pompeius
Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius, in English Sextus Pompey , was a Roman general from the late Republic . He was the last focus of opposition to the Second Triumvirate...
, Caralis was the only city which offered any resistance, but was taken after a short siege.
Cagliari continued to be regarded as the capital of the island under the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, and though it did not become a colony, its inhabitants obtained the rights of Roman citizens.
A Christian community is attested in Cagliari at least as early as the 3rd century, and by the end of the century the city had a Christian bishop. In the middle decades of the 4th century the bishop Lucifer of Cagliari developed the so-called Luciferian heresy. He was banished to the desert of Thebais by the emperor Constantius.
After the fall of the Western Empire Cagliari fell, together with the rest of Sardinia, into the hands of the Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
, but appears to have retained its importance throughout the Middle Ages.
Claudian describes the ancient city as extending to a considerable length towards the promontory or headland, the projection of which sheltered its port: the latter affords good anchorage for large vessels; but besides this, which is only a well-sheltered road-stead, there is adjoining the city a large salt-water lake, or lagoon, called the Stagno di Cagliari
Stagno di Cagliari
thumb|Greater Flamingos in one of the evaporation ponds of the Stagno di Cagliari.The Stagno di Santa Gilla or Stagno di Cagliari is a coastal lagoon at the mouths of the rivers Cixerri and Mannu near Cagliari, on the Golfo degli Angeli in southern Sardinia, Italy...
, communicating by a narrow channel with the bay, which appears from Claudian to have been used in ancient times as an inner harbor or basin. The promontory adjoining the city is evidently that noticed by Ptolemy , but the Caralitanum Promontorium of Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
can be no other than the headland, now called Capo Carbonara, which forms the eastern boundary of the Gulf of Cagliari, and the southeast point of the whole island. Immediately off it lay the little island of Ficaria, now called the Isola dei Cavoli.
Giudicato of Cagliari
Subsequently ruled in turn by the Vandals and the Byzantine EmpireByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, Cagliari became the eponymous capital of an independent kingdom or giudicato, ruled by a giudice or judike (literally "judge"). However, there is some evidence that during this period of independence from external rule, the city was deserted because it was too exposed to attacks by Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
pirates from the sea. Apparently many people left Caralis and founded a new town (named Santa Igia) in an area close to the Santa Gilla swamp on the west of Cagliari, but relatively distant from the sea. The giudicato of Cagliari comprised a large area of the Campidano plain, the mineral resources of the Sulcis region and the mountain region of Ogliastra. There were other three independent and autonomous giudicati
Giudicati
The giudicati were the indigenous kingdoms of Sardinia from about 900 until 1410, when the last fell to the Aragonese. The rulers of the giudicati were giudici , from the Latin iudice , often translates as "judge". The Latin for giudicato was iudicatus The giudicati (singular giudicato) were the...
in Sardinia: Logudoro (or Torres) in the northwest, Gallura
Giudicato of Gallura
The Giudicato of Gallura was one of four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. These were de facto independent states ruled by judges bearing the title iudex . Gallura, a name which comes from gallus, meaning rooster , was subdivided into ten curatoriae governed by curatores under the judge...
in the northeast, and in the east the most famous, the long-lived Giudicato of Arborea, with Oristano
Oristano
Oristano is a town and comune, capital of the Province of Oristano, on the island of Sardinia, Italy. It has approximately 32,500 inhabitants.Its economy is mainly based on fishing, agriculture and, to a certain extent, tourism.-History:...
as its capital.
11th to 13th century
Constantine I of Cagliari
Constantine I was the giudice of Cagliari. He was the son of the giudice Orzocco Torchitorio and giudicessa Vera. In the eleventh century, the throne of Cagliari traditionally passed between the houses of Torchitorio de Ugunale and Salusio de Lacon. Constantine took the name Salusio II upon his...
appeared with the title of rex et iudex Caralitanus ("King and Judge of Cagliari").
During the 11th century, the Republic of Pisa
Republic of Pisa
The Republic of Pisa was a de facto independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa during the late tenth and eleventh centuries. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade for a century before being surpassed and...
began to extend his political influence over the giudicato of Cagliari. Pisa and the other maritime republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
had a keen interest in Sardinia because it was a perfect strategic base for controlling the commercial routes between Italy and North Africa.
In 1215 the Pisan Lamberto Visconti, giudice of Gallura, obtained by force from the Torchitorio IV of Cagliari
Torchitorio IV of Cagliari
Barisone II Torchitorio IV de Serra was the Giudice of Arborea and Cagliari.He was a son of Peter I and Bina. His father was Judge of half of Arborea from 1195 to his death in 1214 along with Hugh I...
and his wife Benedetta
Benedetta of Cagliari
Benedetta was the daughter and heiress of William I of Cagliari and Adelasia, daughter of Moroello Malaspina. She succeeded her father in January or February 1214....
the mount located east of Santa Igia
Santa Igia
Santa Igia was a city in Sardinia, in what is now Italy, which existed from the 9th century AD to 1258, when it was destroyed by the Pisane troops...
. Soon (1216/1217) Pisan merchants founded in this mount a new fortified city that will be known as "Castel di Castro", which can be considered as the ancestor of the modern city of Cagliari. Some of the fortifications that still surround the current district of Castello (Casteddu 'e susu in the Sardinian language) were built by the Pisans, most notably the two remaining white limestone towers designed by architect Giovanni Capula (originally there were three towers that guarded the three gates that gave access to the district). Together with the district of Castello, Castel di Castro comprised the districts of Marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
(which included the port) and later Stampace and Villanova
Villanova
Villanova may refer to:In botany:*Villanova, a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae, an invalid name replaced by Flueggea, or bushweed*Villanova , a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae.In education:*St...
. Marina and Stampace were guarded by walls, while Villanova, which mainly hosted peasants, was not.
In 1258 after the defeat of the William III
William III of Cagliari
William III, of the House of Massa, was the last Judge of Cagliari, ruling under the name Salusio VI from 1256 to his deposition in 1258. He is known also known as Guglielmo Cepolla or Cipolla....
, the last giudice of Cagliari, the Pisans and their Sardinian allies (Arborea, Gallura and Logudoro) destroyed the old capital of Santa Igia. The Giudicato of Cagliari was divided into three parts: the northwest third, went to Gallura; the centre was incorporated into Arborea; the region of Sulcis
Sulcis
Sulcis is the southwestern region of Sardinia, part of the larger Sulcis-Iglesiente region. It is named for the Phoenician city of Sulcis , present-day Sant'Antioco....
and Iglesiente
Iglesiente
The Iglesiente is a traditional and geographical subdivision of Sardinia, Italy. It encompasses the northern province of Carbonia-Iglesias and the south-western one of the province of Medio Campidano, and its main center is Iglesias....
, on the west, were given to the Pisan della Gherardesca family, while the Republic of Pisa maintained the control over his colony of Castel di Castro.
14th to 17th centuries
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
conquered Cagliari (Castel di Castro) after a battle against the Pisans. When Sardinia was finally conquered by the Catalan-Aragonese army, Cagliari (Castel de Càller or simply Càller in Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
) became the administrative capital of the newborn Kingdom of Sardinia, one of the many kingdoms forming the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
, which later came under the rule of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. However, due to the increasing importance of the Americas within the Spanish Empire, Sardinia and Cagliari lost importance.
The kings of Aragon, and later the kings of Spain, were represented in Cagliari by a viceroy.
18th century
In 1718, after a brief rule of the Austrian Habsburgs, Cagliari and Sardinia came under the House of SavoyHouse of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
. As ruler of Sardinia, the Savoys took the title of kings of the Sardinian kingdom. The Sardinian kingdom comprised Savoy and Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
(currently in France), Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
and Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
, as well as Sardinia. Although Sardinian by name, the kingdom had its capital in Turin, in mainland Italy, where the Savoys resided. The parliament was also in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and its members were mainly aristocrats from Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
or the mainland.
In the late 18th century, during the Napoleonic wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, France tried to conquer Cagliari because of its strategic role in the Mediterranean sea. A French army landed on the Poetto beach and moved towards Cagliari, but the French were defeated by Sardinians who decided to defend themselves against the revolutionary army. People from Cagliari hoped to receive some concession from the Savoys in return for their defending the town: for example, aristocrats from Cagliari asked for a Sardinian representative in the parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of the kingdom. When the Savoys refused any concession to the Sardinians, inhabitants of Cagliari rose up against the Savoys and expelled all representatives of the kingdom and people from Piedmont. This insurgence is celebrated in Cagliari during the "Die de sa Sardigna" (Sardinian Day) on the last weekend of April. However the Savoys regained control of the town after a brief period of autonomous rule.
Modern age
From the 1870s, with the unificationItalian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
of Italy, the city experienced a century of rapid growth. Many outstanding buildings were erected by the end of the 19th century during the office of Mayor Ottone Bacaredda. Many of these buildings combined influences from Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
together with the traditional Sardinian taste for flower decoration: an example is the white marble City Hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
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 World War II Cagliari was heavily bombed by the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
in February 1943. In order to escape from the bombardment
Bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings.Prior to World War I the term term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, it was only loosely employed to describe artillery...
s 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 flight from the town is known as "sfollamento" (deserting).
After the Italian armistice
Armistice with Italy
The Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...
with the Allies in September 1943, the German Army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
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
Elmas
Elmas is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region of Sardinia, located about 8 km northwest of Cagliari....
, Monserrato
Monserrato
Monserrato is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 5 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Still 1991, when it was separated with a local referendum, Monserrato was a district of Cagliari...
, Decimomannu
Decimomannu
Decimomannu is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian autonomous region of Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea ....
, currently a NATO airbase) from which airplanes could fly to Northern Africa or mainland Italy and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
After the war, the population of Cagliari rebounded and many apartment blocks were erected in new residential districts, often created with poor planning as for recreational areas.
Projects for the future
In the last years a great urban development was started in Cagliari. New projects include the new Betile museum for Nuragic and modern art, designed by the Prizker Award winner Zaha HadidZaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
: it will rise on the Sant'Elia promenade. Another already started project is the Cagliari metro: the first line is already running from Piazza Repubblica to Monserrato, one of Cagliari suburbs, and will be soon connected to the University campus; works for other lines to all the city suburbs and the airport will be soon started. The promenade from the old harbour to Sant'Elia will be totally restored. The old port in Via Roma, now to be used only as tourist and cruise port (where the cruise terminal is already finished), will be closed to ferry-boats, which will be moved to the new port in "porto canale".
All Sant'elia district will be changed, the old ruined apartment buildings will be demolished and a new district designed by Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...
will rise. Also the Stadium will be demolished and rebuilt as a new stadium, with 25,000 covered seats, usable for concerts and events too. On the promenade will also rise a great amphitheatre (20,000 seats) for concerts, as well as an aquarium where now is the old salt production plant. Other projects include the new district near the Santa Gilla pond (Piazza Santa Gilla), a luxurious beauty-center on the Poetto beach, where now is the old abandoned "Marino" hospital, the new university campus, designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha
Paulo Mendes da Rocha
Paulo Mendes da Rocha is a Brazilian architect, honored with the Mies van der Rohe Prize and the Pritzker Prize .Paulo attended the Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie College of Architecture, graduating in 1954...
, and the new "Parco della musica", a great park with an amphitheatre and fountains, channels and water-games, between T-hotel and the Civic Theatre; the latter will be finished by the end of the year, while the other works will be finished by 2010–2011.
Climate
Cagliari has a Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, with hot, dry summers and very mild winters. Its climate is comparable to that of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, but it is often refreshed by north-westerly winds.
Urban parks
Cagliari is the "greenest" Italian city, thanks to its low level of smogSmog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
and its several parks including the "Regional Park of Molentargius", where particular species of flora and fauna such as the Phoenicopterus ruber, Ardea purpurea, Himantopus himantopus etc. can be observed. Major parks of the city include:
- Regional Park of Molentargius
- Monte Urpinu Park
- Park of San Michele hill
- Terramaini Park
- Monte Claro Park
- Ex-vetreria Pirri Park
- Public gardens
In addition it is the home of the Monumental Cemetery of Bonaria
Monumental Cemetery of Bonaria
The Monumental Cemetery of Bonaria is located in Cagliari, Sardinia.In use between 1829 and 1968, the cemetery originally occupied an area at the base of the hill of Bonaria, and over time expanded upwards. The main entrance is located in Piazza Cimitero, with a second entrance in Ravenna, at the...
, recognised as one of the significant cemeteries in Europe . Some mountain parks, such as Monte Arcosu or Maidopis, with large forests and wildlife (Sardinian deer, wild boars, etc.) are located near the city.
Beaches
The main beach of Cagliari is the Poetto. It stretches for about eight kilometers, from Sella del Diavolo (the Devil's Saddle) up to the coastline of Quartu Sant'Elena. Poetto is also the name of the district located on the western stretch of the strip between the beach and Saline di Molentargius (Molentargius's Salt Mine). Another smaller beach is that of Calamosca near the Sant'Elia district.Cagliari is close to other beautiful seaside locations, such as Maddalena Beach, Chia or Villasimius
Villasimius
Villasimìus is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 35 km east of Cagliari.-History:...
, still relatively unspoilt by tourism.
Demographics
In 2007, there were 158,041 people residing in Cagliari, of whom 46.7% were male and 53.3% were female. Minors (children ages 18 and younger) totalled 13.36 percent of the population compared to pensioners who number 21.87 percent. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06 percent (minors) and 19.94 percent (pensioners). The average age of Cagliari residents is 46 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of Cagliari declined by 3 percent, while Italy as a whole grew by 3.56 percent. The current birth rate of Cagliari is 6 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.45 births. This trend is proportionally inverse with Cagliari metropolitan areas and suburbs, where most younger families move.As of 2009, 96.91% of the population was Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
while the largest immigrant group came from East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and other European nations mostly from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The overwhelming majority of persons are Roman Catholic.
Between the 1980s and the 1990s the population of Cagliari was around 220,000. During this period four municipal districts became autonomous municipalities
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
with some local referendums. So, due to the separation of Quartucciu
Quartucciu
Quartucciu is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 8 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Before the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Quartucciu was attacked by the Vandals...
(12,527 inhabitants in 2009) in 1983, Elmas
Elmas
Elmas is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region of Sardinia, located about 8 km northwest of Cagliari....
(8,977 inhabitants in 2009) in 1989, Monserrato
Monserrato
Monserrato is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 5 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Still 1991, when it was separated with a local referendum, Monserrato was a district of Cagliari...
(20,603 inhabitants in 2009) and Selargius
Selargius
Selargius is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 6 km northeast of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 28,548 and an area of 26.7 km².-History:...
(29,099 inhabitants in 2009) in 1991, Cagliari passed from circa 220,000 to 160,000 residents. Without this detachment the municipal population of Cagliari could be of 228,347.
Metropolitan area
The metropolitan area of Cagliari totals a population of c. 369,000 inhabitants .| Comune | Area (km²) | Population(1) |
|---|---|---|
| Cagliari | 85.45 | 157,146 |
| Assemini Assemini Assemini is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 12 km northwest of Cagliari in the plain of the Cixerri, Flumini Mannu and Sa Nuxedda rivers. It includes notable forest area which are part of the Sulcis Regional Park... |
117.50 | 26,743 |
| Capoterra Capoterra Capoterra is a town and comune in the province of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy.It is located on the western arm of the Golfo degli Angeli, c. 15 km from Cagliari. Economy is mostly based on agriculture, although the tourism sector grew notably in the past decades.... |
68.25 | 23,841 |
| Elmas Elmas Elmas is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region of Sardinia, located about 8 km northwest of Cagliari.... |
13.70 | 8,972 |
| Monserrato Monserrato Monserrato is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 5 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Still 1991, when it was separated with a local referendum, Monserrato was a district of Cagliari... |
6.50 | 20,585 |
| Quartucciu Quartucciu Quartucciu is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 8 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Before the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Quartucciu was attacked by the Vandals... |
27.87 | 12,600 |
| Quartu Sant'Elena Quartu Sant'Elena Quartu Sant'Elena is a city and comune in the Province of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. It is the third biggest city of Sardinia with a population of c. 71,000 as of 2008.- History:... |
96.20 | 71.360 |
| Selargius Selargius Selargius is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 6 km northeast of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 28,548 and an area of 26.7 km².-History:... |
26.71 | 29,065 |
| Sestu Sestu Sestu is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 10 km north of Cagliari.-External links:* * *... |
48.32 | 19,551 |
| Total | 490.50 | 369,862 |
- (1) – ISTAT, August 2009
The conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
area of Cagliari who include the metropolitan area plus the comuni of : Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
, Villa San Pietro
Villa San Pietro
Villa San Pietro is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 25 km southwest of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,849 and an area of 39.6 km²....
, Sarroch
Sarroch
Sarroch is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 20 km southwest of Cagliari...
, Villaspeciosa
Villaspeciosa
Villaspeciosa is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 20 km northwest of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,039 and an area of 27.3 km²....
, Uta, Decimoputzu
Decimoputzu
Decimoputzu is a comune of c. 4,000 inhabitants in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 20 km northwest of Cagliari....
, Villasor
Villasor
Villasor is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 25 km northwest of Cagliari...
, Serramanna
Serramanna
Serramanna is a comune in the Province of Medio Campidano in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 30 km northwest of Cagliari and about 15 km south of Sanluri...
, Nuraminis
Nuraminis
Nuraminis is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 25 km northwest of Cagliari...
, Monastir
Monastir, Italy
Monastir is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 20 km northwest of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 4,532 and an area of 31.8 km²....
, San Sperate
San Sperate
San Sperate is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 20 km northwest of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,982 and an area of 26.2 km²....
, Ussana
Ussana
Ussana is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 20 km north of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,870 and an area of 32.8 km²....
, Serdiana
Serdiana
Serdiana is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 20 km north of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,354 and an area of 55.7 km²....
, Dolianova
Dolianova
Dolianova is an Italian town and comune in the province of Cagliari, Sardinia. The town was born on June 25, 1905 from the fusion of two centers: Sicci San Biagio and San Pantaleo. Its economy is based on agriculture . The name "Dolianova" has obscure origins...
, Sinnai
Sinnai
Sinnai is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 12 km northeast of Cagliari....
, Maracalagonis
Maracalagonis
Maracalagonis is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 12 km northeast of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,961 and an area of 101.5 km²....
, Soleminis
Soleminis
Soleminis is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 15 km northeast of Cagliari. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,698 and an area of 13.0 km²....
reach a population of almost 500.000 individuals .
Main sights
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 (also known as Angels Gulf). Most of its city walls are intact, and feature the two 13th century white limestone towers, St. Pancras Tower and the Elephant Tower. The local white limestone was also used to build the walls of the city and many buildings. D. H. LawrenceD. H. Lawrence
David Herbert Richards Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic and painter who published as D. H. Lawrence. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation...
, in his lively memoir of a voyage to Sardinia, Sea and Sardinia
Sea and Sardinia
Sea and Sardinia is a travel book by the English writer D. H. Lawrence. It describes a brief excursion undertaken by Lawrence and Frieda, his wife aka Queen Bee, from Taormina in Sicily to the interior of Sardinia. They visited Cagliari, Mandas, Sorgono, and Nuoro...
, undertaken in January 1921, described the effect of the warm Mediterranean sun-light on the white limestone city and compared Cagliari to a "white Jerusalem". The city is said to be built on seven hills (Sant'Elia, Bonaria, Monte Urpinu, Castello, Monte Claro, Tuvixeddu and San Michele).
Saint Remy Bastion (The following is a direct translation of the entry in the Italian version of Wikipedia):
The Promenade Deck and the Terrazza Umberto I, the latter built on the old ramparts of the Spur, were designed in 1896 by engineer Joseph Costa and Fulgenzio Setti. The entire building is in the classical style, with Corinthian columns, and was built of white and yellow limestone. It was opened in 1901. The staircase with two flights, by which you enter from Constitution Square, is interrupted in a covered walkway, and ends beneath the Arc de Triomphe, in the Terrazza Umberto I. In 1943, during the Second World War, the staircase and the Arch of Triumph were severely damaged by aerial bombardment, but after the war were faithfully reconstructed.
From the Terrazza Umberto I, accessed via a short flight of steps, is the Bastion of Santa Caterina, where there was an old Dominican convent, destroyed by fire in 1800. It is said that in the austere surroundings of the monastery, the conspiracy to kill the Viceroy Camarassa in 1668, the most dramatic episode of blood in the history of the city under Spanish rule, was laid.
The Promenade Deck, since it was inaugurated in 1902, has been variously used. At first it was used as a banqueting hall, then during the First World War was used as an infirmary. In the thirties, during the period of sanctions, it was an exhibition of autarchy. During the Second World War it was used as a shelter for displaced people whose homes had been destroyed by bombs. In 1948 it hosted the first Trade Fair of Sardinia. After many years of neglect, the Promenade was restored and re-evaluated as a cultural space reserved especially for art exhibitions.
The Cathedral
Cagliari Cathedral
The Cathedra of Cagliari is a church in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy.The church was built in the 13th century in Pisane-Romanesque style, obtaining the cathedral status in 1258. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was renovated along Baroque lines...
was restored in the 1930s turning the former Baroque façade into a Medieval Pisan style façade, more akin to the original appearance of the church from the 13th century. The bell tower is original. The interior has a nave and two aisles, with a pulpit (1159–1162) sculpted for the Cathedral of Pisa but later donated to Cagliari. The crypt houses the remains of martyrs found in the Basilica of San Saturno (see below). 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 Basilica of San Saturnino
Basilica of San Saturnino
The Basilica of San Saturnino is a Palaeo-Christian church in Cagliari, southern Sardinia, Italy.-History:The church is mentioned for the first time in the early 6th century. This church had been likely erected near the burial place of St...
is one of the most important Palaeo-Christian monuments in Sardinia. Dedicated to the martyr killed under Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
's reign, Saturninus of Cagliari
Saturninus of Cagliari
Saint Saturninus of Cagliari is venerated as the patron saint of Cagliari. According to Christian tradition, Saturninus was a local martyr –that is, he was killed at Cagliari by order of governor Barbarus...
(patron saint of the city), it was built in the 5th century. Of the original building the central part remain and the dome, to which two armes (one with a nave and two aisles) was added. A Palaeo-Christian crypt is also under the church of San Lucifero (1660), dedicated to Saint Lucifer
Saint Lucifer
Lucifer Calaritanus was a bishop of Cagliari in Sardinia known for his passionate opposition to Arianism. He is venerated as a Saint in Sardinia, though his status remains controversial.-Life:...
, a bishop of the city. This has a Baroque façade with ancient columns and sculpted parts, some of which found in the nearby necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
.
The Chiesa della Purissima is a church from the 16th century.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bonaria was built by the Catalans in 1324–1329 during the siege to the Castle in which the Pisans had taken shelter. It has a small Gothic portal in the façade while the interior houses a wooden statue of the Madonna, which was thrown off a Spanish ship and landed at the foot of the Bonaria hill. The cloister of the convent is home to the Marinery Museum.
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.
Considerable other remains of the ancient city are still visible at Cagliari, the most striking of which are those of the Roman Amphitheatre, carved into a block of rock (the typical limestone from which Cagliari is built), and of an aqueduct; the latter a most important acquisition to the city, where fresh water is scarce. There exist also ancient cisterns of vast extent: the ruins of a small circular temple, and numerous sepulchres on a hill outside the modern town, which appears to have formed the necropolis of the ancient city. (Smyth's Sardinia, pp. 206, 215; Valery, Voyage en Sardaigne, c. 57.) The Amphitheatre still stages open-air operas and concerts during the summer.
The districts built in the 1930s sport some nice examples of Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architecture and some controversial examples of Fascist neoclassicism
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
, 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. The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Cagliari
Orto Botanico dell'Università di Cagliari
The Orto Botanico dell'Università di Cagliari , also known as the Orto Botanico di Cagliari, is a botanical garden operated by the University of Cagliari and located at Viale S. Ignazio da Laconi 9-11, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy....
, the city's botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
, is also of interest.
Cagliari has one of the longest beaches in Italy. 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.
Economy
Cagliari is the main commercial and industrial center of the island, with many major Italian factories within its provincial boundaries. The Macchiareddu-Grogastru area between Cagliari and Capoterra (in conjunction with the industrial port of Giorgino) is one of the most important industrial areas of Sardinia. Cagliari also has one of the largest fish markets in all of Italy with a vast array of fish for sale to both the public and trade. The communications provider TiscaliTiscali
Tiscali may refer to:*Tiscali, an archaeological village of Nuragici people, in Sardinia, Italy, notable because it was completely inside a huge cavern*Tiscali SpA, a telecom company based in Italy*Tiscali TV , multiple uses...
has its headquarters in town, and Cagliari also has one of the biggest container terminals on the Mediterranean sea. Many multinational corporations like Coca Cola, Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
, Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
, Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
and Eni Group
Eni
Eni S.p.A. is an Italian multinational oil and gas company, present in 70 countries, and currently Italy's largest industrial company with a market capitalization of 87.7 billion euros , as of July 24, 2008...
have factories in town. Tourism is also one of the major industries of the city, with cruise ships touring the Mediterranean often making Cagliari a stop off for passengers.
Cagliari, with an average per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
of 22.226 euro, has an economic level comparable to that of the northern and central Italian cities.
Transport
- International Airport (Cagliari-Elmas, Mario Mameli)Cagliari-Elmas AirportCagliari-Elmas Airport is an international airport located in the territory of Elmas, near Cagliari, on the island of Sardinia, Italy. The airport was upgraded in 2003 and the terminal was expanded and provided with 6 loading bridges for passenger boarding, with a capacity of 4 millions...
- Cagliari railway stationCagliari railway stationCagliari is the main railway station of the Italian city of Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia. It is owned by the Ferrovie dello Stato, the national rail company of Italy, and is the most important station of its region. The station is sometimes unofficially named Cagliari Centrale and Cagliari...
(of FSFerrovie dello StatoFerrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
), the city's main station, with trains to Iglesias and Carbonia; Olbia and Golfo Aranci; and to Sassari and Porto Torres via Ozieri-Chilivani - Ferrovie della SardegnaFerrovie della SardegnaThe Ferrovie della Sardegna , know also as ARST Gestione FdS and with the acronym FdS, is the regional railway network, in the island of Sardinia, Italy....
(FdS) railway station, at Piazza della Repubblica, with narrow-gauge trains to Mandas, Sorgono and Arbatax - Passengers and commercial port, cruise terminal
- Highway to Sassari – Porto Torres (SS131/E35) and Olbia (SS131 Diramazione Centrale Nuorese)
- Light railLight railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
service (called MetroCagliari), from Piazza Repubblica to MonserratoMonserratoMonserrato is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 5 km northeast of Cagliari.-History:Still 1991, when it was separated with a local referendum, Monserrato was a district of Cagliari...
, operated by FdSFerrovie della SardegnaThe Ferrovie della Sardegna , know also as ARST Gestione FdS and with the acronym FdS, is the regional railway network, in the island of Sardinia, Italy....
. - Bus and trolleybusTrolleybuses in CagliariThe Cagliari trolleybus system forms part of the public transport network of the city and comune of Cagliari, in the region of Sardinia, Italy....
transport in the city and suburbs, operated by CTM SpA. - Coach transport for all regional destination operated by ARST/FdS/FMS
Sport
Cagliari is home to the football team Cagliari CalcioCagliari Calcio
Cagliari Calcio is an Italian football club based in Cagliari, Sardinia. The club was formed in 1920 and currently plays in Italian Serie A, having spent a large part of recent years mainly in Serie A and Serie B....
, winner of the Italian league championship in 1970, with the team led by Gigi Riva. Cagliari is an ideal location for water sports such as surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
, windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
due to strong and reliable favourable winds. Hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
is also popular.
Sport venues in Cagliari include:
- Sant'Elia stadium
- PalaRockfeller
- Terramaini Olympionic pool
Culture
Cagliari is home of the University of CagliariUniversity of Cagliari
The University of Cagliari is a university located in Cagliari, Italy. It was founded in 1620 and is organized in 11 Faculties.-History:The Studium Generalis Kalaritanum was founded in 1606 along the lines of the old Spanish Universities of Salamanca, Valladolid and Lérida...
, the first university in Sardinia, founded in 1620.
Cagliari has some peculiar gastronomic traditions. Many dishes are based on the wide variety of fish and sea food available, for example, burrida. Although it is possible to trace influences from Spanish cuisine, Cagliaritanian food has a distinctive 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
Sergio Atzeni
Sergio Atzeni was an italian writer.Born in Capoterra, southern Sardinia, he moved to Cagliari where, as a journalist, he worked for some of the most important Sardinian newspapers. He also became a member of the Italian Communist Party, but later left the party, being disullusioned with politics...
, who set many of his novels and short stories, such as Bakunin's Son, in ancient and modern Cagliari.
The Basilica of Bonaria in Cagliari gives its name to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. 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.
It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Cagliari.
The main opera house of Sardinia, Teatro Lirico
Teatro Lirico (Cagliari)
The Teatro Lirico di Cagliari is an opera house in Cagliari. It is the main theatre of the city.It was built to substitute the Teatro Civico, seriously damaged by the shelling of Cagliari operated by the Allies during World War II...
, has its quarters in Cagliari.
Nightlife
Cagliari is a tourist city, and especially in summer a lot of clubs and pubs are goals for youth and tourists, pubs and night-clubs are concentrated in the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a narrow street in Stampace district, Marina district, near to the port and Castello district, as for clubs they are mostly on the Poetto beach (in summer), or in Viale Marconi (in winter).Consulates
Consulates located in Cagliari:(a Quartu Sant'Elena
Quartu Sant'Elena
Quartu Sant'Elena is a city and comune in the Province of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. It is the third biggest city of Sardinia with a population of c. 71,000 as of 2008.- History:...
)
Twin towns — Sister cities
Cagliari is twinned with:| Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent... , Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... Nanyuki Nanyuki Nanyuki is a market town in central-east Rift Valley region of Kenya lying northwest of Mount Kenya along the A2 road and at the terminus of the branch railway from Nairobi. It is situated just north of the Equator . It was founded in 1907 by British settlers, some of whose descendants still live... , Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east... Pisa Pisa Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa... , Italy |
Vercelli Vercelli Vercelli is a city and comune of about 47,000 inhabitants in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around the year 600 BC.The city is situated on the river Sesia in the plain of the river... , Italy Padua Padua Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having... , Italy, 2002 Biella, Italy, 2003 |