Cagliari
[key], city, capital of Sardinia and of Cagliari prov., S Sardinia, Italy,
on the Gulf of Cagliari (an arm of the Mediterranean Sea) and at the mouth
of the Mannu River. It is the largest city in Sardinia and is a modern port
and an industrial center. A flourishing Carthaginian city, it was taken by
Rome in 238 b.c. Cagliari endured Arab invasions in the 8th and 9th
cent. a.d. The city was a Pisan stronghold during the wars with
Genoa (11th–14th cent.); its subsequent history is largely that of
Sardinia.
Cagliari was the site of a submarine base in World War II and was heavily
bombed by the Allies. Noteworthy structures include the Romanesque-Gothic
cathedral (13th cent.), the Basilica of San Saturnino (5th cent.), a large
Roman amphitheater, and the massive tower of St. Pancras (built by Pisans in
1304).
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