Cagliari Cathedral

Cagliari Cathedral, officially known as the Duomo di Cagliari or Cattedrale di Santa Maria e Santa Cecilia, is a prominent Roman Catholic cathedral located in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. It serves as the principal church and the seat of the Archbishop of Cagliari. The cathedral's history is marked by several phases of construction and renovation, reflecting various architectural styles that have shaped its appearance over centuries.

History and Architecture

The foundation of Cagliari Cathedral dates back to the 13th century when it was built in the Pisan-Romanesque style by the Pisans in their stronghold, Castel di Castro. It officially gained cathedral status in 1258, following the destruction of the former capital's cathedral. The church originally featured a square plan with a nave and two aisles, a wooden ceiling for the nave, and cross vaults for the aisles.

During the 14th century, significant modifications were made, including the construction of the transept, which gave the cathedral a Latin cross groundplan, and the addition of side entrances. The facade also received a Gothic mullioned window, and the bell tower was altered. The first chapel in the Italian Gothic style was added to the left arm of the transept during this period. After the Aragonese conquest of Cagliari, the right transept was completed, and two additional chapels were built.

A major transformation occurred in the late 17th and early 18th centuries when the interior and facade were restructured in the Baroque style between 1669 and 1704. A cupola was erected at the center of the transept, and the Gothic chapels were removed. The old facade was eventually demolished in the early 20th century and replaced in the 1930s by the current Neo-Romanesque facade, designed to echo the cathedral's original architectural spirit and inspired by Pisa Cathedral.

Artworks and Relics

Cagliari Cathedral is rich in artistic and historical treasures. Among its most celebrated artworks is the ambo of Guglielmo, a remarkable pair of 12th-century pulpits originally crafted for Pisa Cathedral. These were brought to Cagliari in 1312 and later divided, with the four supporting marble lions now positioned at the feet of the presbytery balustrade. Sculptures depicting scenes from the New Testament adorn the ambo.

Other significant works include a 15th-century Flemish triptych, attributed to Rogier van der Weyden, and the Baroque funerary monument dedicated to Bernardo de La Cabra, Archbishop of Cagliari, who died during the plague of 1655. The left transept houses a 14th-century chapel and the mausoleum of King Martin I of Sicily, constructed between 1676 and 1680. Martin I had died during the conquest of Sardinia in the early 15th century.

Beneath the cathedral lies the Sanctuary of the Martyrs in the crypt. This sanctuary serves as the repository for the relics of 179 martyrs of Cagliari, unearthed during 17th-century excavations near the Basilica of San Saturnino. The sanctuary is further enhanced by three chapels featuring Baroque decorations.