Cagliari
—  Comune  —
Comune di Cagliari
A montage showing different parts and features of the city of Cagliari
Flag Coat of arms
Cagliari Location of Cagliari in Italy
Coordinates: 39°14′47″N 09°03′27″E / 39.24639°N 9.0575°E / 39.24639; 9.0575
Country	Italy
Region	Sardinia
Province	Cagliari (CA)
Frazioni	Pirri
Government
• Mayor	Massimo Zedda (SEL)
Area
• Total	85.45 km2 (32.99 sq mi)
Elevation	4 m (13 ft)
Population (30 November 2010)
• Total	156,560
• Density	1,800/km2 (4,700/sq mi)
Demonym	Cagliaritani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	09100
Dialing code	070
Patron saint	St. Saturninus
Saint day	October 30
Website	Official website

Cagliari (Italian: [ˈkaʎʎari] ( listen); Sardinian: Casteddu; Latin: Caralis) 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,^[1] the city is an important regional cultural, educational, political and artistic centre, known for its diverse Art Nouveau architecture and several monuments.^[2] 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.^[3]

History[link]

Early history[link]

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.

Necropolis of Tuvixeddu

Under the name of Karalis it was established around the 7th century BC as one of a string of Phoenician 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,^[4] and appears on other occasions also as the chief naval station of the Romans in the island, and the residence of the praetor.^[5]

Cagliari City Hall

Florus calls it the urbs urbinum, or capital of Sardinia, and represents it as taken and severely punished by Gracchus,^[6] 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.^[7] 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;^[8] and Caesar himself touched there with his fleet on his return from Africa.^[9] 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.^[10]

Bastion of Saint Remy

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.^[11]

Via Roma

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.^[12]

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.^[13] The promontory adjoining the city is evidently that noticed by Ptolemy (Κάραλις πόλις καὶ ἄκρα), 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,^[14] now called the Isola dei Cavoli.

[edit] Giudicato of Cagliari

Darsena, skyline

Subsequently ruled in turn by the Vandals and the Byzantine Empire, 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.

11th to 13th century[link]

Panorama of "Stampace", old district

Largo Carlo Felice

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^{[disambiguation needed ]}. 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 south-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[link]

Roman amphitheatre.

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.

18th century[link]

Inside the royal palace of Cagliari

In 1718,^[15] after a brief rule of the Austrian Habsburgs, Cagliari and Sardinia came under the House of Savoy. 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.

Modern age[link]

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 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 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 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.

Fascist building in Cagliari.

Projects for the future[link]

Over the last few years the task of large scale urban redevelopment of Cagliari has begun. Projects include the new Betile museum of Nuragic and modern art, designed by the Prizker Award winner Zaha Hadid: being built on the Sant'Elia promenade. Another project, already underway, is the Cagliari metro: the first line has already started running from Piazza Repubblica to the Cagliari suburb of Monserrato, and another will soon connect the University campus; works for other lines to all the city suburbs and the airport are planned. The promenade from the old harbour to Sant'Elia will be totally restored. The old port situated at Via Roma, will be used only as tourist and cruise port ( the cruise terminal is already finished); ferry-boats will then leave and arrive at 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.

On the left panorama of "Villanova" district, panorama of "Fonsarda" district, with the T-Hotel Skyscraper on the right

Geography[link]

Climate[link]

Cagliari has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, humid summers and very mild winters. Its climate is comparable to that of Adelaide, but it is often refreshed by north-westerly winds.

Urban parks[link]

View of the Molentargius pond, part of the Regional Park of Molentargius

Cagliari is the "greenest" Italian city,^[18] thanks to its low level of smog 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:

Monte Claro Park.

• 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, 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[link]

A night view of the seafront Poetto.

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. On the coast between Calamosca and Poetto Beaches among the cliffs of the Sella del Diavolo, lays Cala Fighera, a crystal clear small bay famous among rock climbers and the gay community

Cagliari is close to other beautiful seaside locations, such as Maddalena Beach, Chia or Villasimius, still relatively unspoilt by tourism.

Demographics[link]

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.^[19] 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 while the largest immigrant group came from East Asia and other European nations mostly from Ukraine and Romania.^[20] 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^[21]) in 1983, Elmas (8,977 inhabitants in 2009^[21]) in 1989, Monserrato (20,603 inhabitants in 2009^[21]) and Selargius (29,099 inhabitants in 2009^[21]) 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[link]

This section requires expansion.

The metropolitan area of Cagliari totals a population of c. 369,000 inhabitants .

• ⁽¹⁾ – ISTAT, August 2009 ^[22]

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 .

Cagliari Cathedral.

Main sights[link]

The old part of the city (called Castello, the castle) lies on top of a hill, with a view of the Gulf of Cagliari (also known as Angels Gulf). Most of its city walls are intact, and feature the two early 14th century white limestone towers, the Torre di San Pancrazio and the Torre dell'Elefante; they are both typical examples of Pisan military architecture. The local white limestone was also used to build the walls of the city and many buildings. D. H. Lawrence, in his 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).

Sanctuary of Bonaria.

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 World War II, the staircase and the Arch of Triumph were severely damaged by aerial bombardment, but after the conflict's end they 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)^[23] 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 historic district "Castello".

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.

Elephant Tower

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.

Economy[link]

Examples of Art Nouveau in Cagliari (Via Roma Palaces, Balletto Palace, Valdès Palace).

View of Cagliari Harbour.

This section requires expansion.

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 Tiscali 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.^[24]

Transport[link]

• International Airport (Cagliari-Elmas, Mario Mameli)
• Cagliari railway station (of FS), the city's main station, with trains to Iglesias and Carbonia; Olbia and Golfo Aranci; and to Sassari and Porto Torres via Ozieri-Chilivani
• ARST gestione Ferrovie della Sardegna (FdS) railway station, at Monserrato, 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 rail service (called MetroCagliari), from Piazza Repubblica to Monserrato, operated by FdS.
• Bus and trolleybus transport in the city and suburbs, operated by CTM SpA.
• Coach transport for all regional destination operated by ARST

Sport[link]

Cagliari is home to the football team Cagliari Calcio, 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:

• Sant'Elia stadium
• PalaRockfeller
• Terramaini Olympionic pool

Culture[link]

Archaeological museum of Cagliari "Cittadella dei Musei"

Cagliari is home of the University of Cagliari, 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.^[25]

Nightlife[link]

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[link]

Consulates located in Cagliari:

International relations[link]

Twin towns — Sister cities[link]

Cagliari is twinned with:

Image gallery[link]

• 

  Baroque church of San Michele.

• 

  Porta Cristina.

• 

  Railway station.

• 

  Castello.

• 

  Altar of Sant'Agostino church (16th century).

• 

  Porticoes of Via Roma.

• 

  Looking out of the Bastion San Remy.

• 

  Basilica of Bonaria.

• 

  View of Cagliari from the plane.

• 

  Zone East of Cagliari port.

• 

  Piazza(square) del Carmine

• 

  Church of San Francesco da Paola

References[link]

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–57). "^{article name needed}". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray. 

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Cagliari.

Media related to Cagliari at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Official Tourism Agency website
• Casteddu.com (English)

For the Brazilian defender, see Thiago Ribeiro dos Santos.

Thiago Ribeiro

Personal information
Full name	Thiago Ribeiro Cardoso
Date of birth	(1986-02-24) 24 February 1986 (age 26)
Place of birth	Pontes Gestal, Brazil
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Second Striker
Club information
Current club	Cagliari
Number	19
Youth career
2001–2003	Rio Branco (SP)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2004–2005	Rio Branco (SP)	5	(2)
2004–2005	→ Bordeaux (loan)	7	(0)
2005–2006	São Paulo	52	(23)
2007–	Rentistas	0	(0)
2007–2008	→ Al Rayyan (loan)	76	(19)
2008–2011	→ Cruzeiro (loan)	144	(48)
2011–	→ Cagliari (loan)	31	(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:53, 25 April 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Thiago Ribeiro full name Thiago Ribeiro Cardoso (born 24 February 1986) is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Cagliari.

Biography[link]

Born in Pontes Gestal, São Paulo state, Thiago started his career at Rio Branco (SP). He was loaned to Ligue 1 side Bordeaux for 2004–05 season, along with Adonis Soares Pavani.^[1] On 1 August 2005 he was signed by São Paulo where he played 1½ seasons. He won Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in his second Série A season, in 2006.

On 2 January 2007 he left for Uruguayan side Rentistas,^[2] which de facto controlled by his agent. He was loaned to Al Rayyan (and bought half of his rights) and he scored a goal in 2007 AFC Champions League.^[3]

On 29 August 2008, Thiago returned to Brazil, signed a 5-year contract with Cruzeiro^[4] (but loaned from Rentistas) A investment group bought back the 50% economic rights for US$ 2 million for Cruzeiro.^[5]

Thiago became top-scorer of 2010 Copa Libertadores.

On 16 August 2011 he was borrowed by Cagliari. He scored his first goal for the club in a game against Novara which they won 2-1.

Honours[link]

Champions

• FIFA Club World Cup: 2005 (São Paulo)
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2006 (São Paulo)
• Campeonato Mineiro: 2009, 2011 (Cruzeiro)

Runner-up

• Copa Libertadores: 2006 (São Paulo), 2009 (Cruzeiro)

Other Honours

• Top-scorer of the 2010 Copa Libertadores (eight goals)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Thiago Ribeiro French league stats at LFP.fr (French)
• Globo Esporte's Futpedia (Portuguese)
• CBF (Portuguese)

Michael Agazzi (born 3 July 1984 in Ponte San Pietro^[2]) is an Italian footballer who plays for Cagliari Calcio.

Career[link]

Since 2008–09 season, Agazzi has been the first choice goalkeeper, after the departure of Generoso Rossi.

On 9 July 2009 Cagliari Calcio signed the goalkeeper from Serie B club Triestina in a joint ownership deal.^[3] However, he would continue to play for Triestina until June 2010.^[3]

However, on 1 February 2010 he returned to Cagliari, 5 months earlier. Co-currently, Triestina signed Alex Calderoni as replacement.^[4] On 21 June 2010, Cagliari signed the keeper from the relegated side for undisclosed fee (later Triestina re-admitted to Serie B)^[5]

He became the first choice goalkeeper for Cagliari in 2010-11 season after the original one, Federico Marchetti, was frozen by the club as punishment. Ivan Pelizzoli, former internationals, also hinted he is the backup of Agazzi instead of Marchetti at the start of season.^[6]

References[link]

• http://www.tuttocalciatori.net/Agazzi_Michael

This biographical article related to an Italian association football goalkeeper is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Mauricio Ricardo Pinilla Ferrera (born 4 February 1984) is a Chilean footballer who plays for Cagliari Calcio on loan from U.S. Città di Palermo in Italy, as a striker.

After beginning his career at Universidad de Chile, he signed for Inter Milan at the age of 19, but never appeared for the club in four years. He went on to play in five countries, without really settling anywhere.

Club career[link]

Early career[link]

Born in Santiago, Pinilla started his career with Universidad de Chile, leaving for European football and Italian giants F.C. Internazionale Milano in 2003, signing a five-year contract.^[1]

However, he was immediately sold to fellow Serie A side A.C. ChievoVerona (which acquired 50% of the player's rights^[2]), and finished 2003–04 loaned again, to La Liga outfit Real Club Celta de Vigo,^[3] not managing to score in 11 league appearances combined.

Professional journeyman[link]

In July 2004, Sporting Clube de Portugal bought 50% of his playing rights^[4] and Pinilla, having spent much of the season on a low note, finished with five goals in 2004–05, notably a hat-trick in a 3–0 win at Sporting Clube de Braga, on 1 May 2005.^[5]

However, Pinilla was also unable to settle at Sporting and, on January 2006, would move on loan, finishing 2005–06 at Racing de Santander. On 26 February 2006, he netted his only goal (a penalty kick) for the Cantabria side, in a 2–2 away draw against Deportivo Alavés.

In 2006–07, Pinilla was once again loaned, now to Scottish side Heart of Midlothian.^[6] His time with the Edinburgh club was beset by injuries, resulting in him only playing a handful of times for the first team. In February 2007, he returned to Universidad de Chile.^[7]

Pinilla returned to Hearts for pre-season training ahead of the 2007–08 season, with Hearts buying out Sporting's half of his rights.^[8] However, his return to playing football with Hearts had a major setback when it was revealed the player had a fractured scaphoid wrist bone, a hidden injury sustained while still in Chile.^[9] This put him out of action for a six further weeks. He recovered from this in Spain, returning to training with Hearts on September 12.

On 9 January 2008, it was reported that Pinilla had sustained another injury in training that sidelined him for the rest of the season.^[10] On 6 May, his agent stated that he had signed a deal which would keep him at Hearts until 2011,^[11] after his contract with Inter expired the following month. However, on 1 July, Hearts announced that they had released the forward from his contract.^[12][13]

In early September 2008, Pinilla joined Brazil's CR Vasco da Gama, signed a contract until the end of the season.^[14] He played his first match with new club in a 0–1 away loss against Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, in a derby.

After Vasco was relegated to the second division, Pinilla left the club and moved to Cyprus' Apollon Limassol as a free agent.

Back to Italy and Serie A[link]

In August 2009, Pinilla returned to Italy, joining Serie B outfit U.S. Grosseto F.C. on a free transfer. At the Tuscan club, his once promising career got back on track, as he scored 24 goals in 24 games (including a series of 12 consecutive matches netting, a competition record) and finished the season as the second best scorer, despite missing more than a third of the campaign through different injuries; his performances subsequently ensured him interest from several Italian top division clubs.

In June 2010, U.S. Città di Palermo announced the signing of Pinilla.^[15] He scored five league goals in his first 12 games, being an important offensive unit in a team that also comprised forwards Abel Hernández, Massimo Maccarone and Fabrizio Miccoli.

On 11 September 2011, in the season's opener, Pinilla was brought from the bench to score the 4–2 for Palermo against former club Inter, in an eventual 4–3 home win.^[16] On 25 January of the following year, he was loaned to fellow top-divisioner Cagliari Calcio, with the Sardinians having the option of making the move permanent in June.^[17]

International career[link]

An established Chilean international since 2003, Pinilla led his country's scoring during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification qualifiers, with three goals. However, on 27 February 2007, whilst on loan to Universidad, he was caught in a hotel with María José López, the model wife of national team captain Luis Antonio Jiménez.^[18] The two players later encountered each other in a Santiago nightclub, which led to Pinilla's admission to hospital with head trauma and neck injuries.^[19]

Subsequently, Pinilla announced his decision to retire from the international scene, not even reconsidering after the nation's President's intervention.^[20]

In August 2010, Pinilla returned to the national team, being recalled by manager Marcelo Bielsa for a friendly with the Ukraine.^[21] He was also picked for a game against Uruguay later in November, only to be called off due to injury.^[22]

International goals[link]

Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
30 March 2003	Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago, Chile	Peru	2–0	2–0	Friendly
9 September 2003	Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago, Chile	Peru	1–0	2–1	2006 World Cup qualification
1 June 2004	Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela	Venezuela	1–0	1–0	2006 World Cup qualification
9 February 2005	Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile	Peru	3–2	3–2	Friendly
30 March 2005	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Paraguay	1–2	1–2	2006 World Cup qualification

References[link]

External links[link]

• Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Mauricio Pinilla at footballzz.co.uk
• Mauricio Pinilla career stats at Soccerbase
• LondonHearts profile
• Mauricio Pinilla at National-Football-Teams.com