CAGLIARI, the capital of the above province, and of the island of Sardinia, situated in the recess of the bay of Cagliari, on the southern coast of the island, in N. Lat. 39.33.14, E. Long. 9.7.48. It is built on the slope of a hill, the summit of which is crowned by a noble castle, containing the viceregal palace, the cathedral, the university, and public seminaries. The intermediate slope between the bay and the district of the castle is occupied by the Marina, a well-built
Cagliari, quarter, where the merchants and consuls reside. Lining the coast are the warehouses, the lazaretto, and the mole. To the west of the castle stands the district of Stampace, to the east that of Villanova,—both consisting of narrow, irregular, and ill-paved streets,—while outside is the spacious suburb of St Avandres, nearly a mile in length. The principal public buildings are those in the castle, including the cathedral already mentioned, built by the Pisans during their occupation of the island, with a handsome front mostly of marble; the vice-regal palace; the mausoleum of Martin, king of Sicily; and the citadel on the northern side, surmounted by three square Pisan towers. The educational and literary establishments of Cagliari include the university (with the four faculties of theology, law, medicine, and philosophy, and enrolling from 200 to 300 students), a private college for the nobility, museums of antiquities and natural history, and a public library containing 15,000 vols. Besides the cathedral, Cagliari contains about 30 churches and 21 convents, to one of which is attached a handsome chapel. It is the see of an archbishop, and the seat of the cortes or states-general for the whole island, and of the audiencia or judicial court for the southern division. The bay of Cagliari contributes greatly to its commercial importance. It is formed by the projection of Cape Carbonara on the one side and Pula on the other; having an extreme width of 24 miles, and a depth of 12. The harbour at the south angle of the wall of the Marina quarter, inclosed by a projecting pier, is one of the best and safest in the Mediterranean, being well sheltered from every wind except the south. Cagliari is the chief port of Sardinia, and monopolizes almost all the export trade of the island. The exports consist chiefly of the corn, oil, wine, and manufactures of the country. The principal articles of manufacture are tobacco (which is a royal monopoly), cotton fabrics, soap, chairs, and salt; the last article being procured from numerous salterns in the bay of Cagliari and the neighbourhood.
From the elevation of its site the climate of Cagliari is healthy, notwithstanding its immediate proximity to a stagnant swamp six or seven miles in length. Pop. nearly 28,000.
The modern city stands on the site of the ancient Carales, or Caralis, which was founded by the Carthaginians, but passed into the hands of the Romans after the first Punic war. In the civil wars between Cæsar and Pompey, and during the empire, it was regarded as an important naval station, but was never raised to the status of a Roman colony. After the fall of the Western Empire it continued under the Vandals to be the capital of the island, and retained its importance during the middle ages. The site of the ancient city is still marked by the remains of a large aqueduct, a circular temple, and numerous Roman sepulchres.