When you fly into Cagliari, it is impossible not to notice its cupola. The cathedral of Santa Maria, the place of worship that is the symbol of the city, together with the basilica of Bonaria, stands out in the Castello neighbourhood its majestic bulk, flanked by Palazzo Regio and the ancient Palazzo di Città. The church is 35 metres long, 34 metres wide and 32 metres high, and was built with gothic-Romanesque forms. It was first mentioned in 1255: its patron saint was Saint Cecilia (it was later assigned to Santa Maria). Between the 13th and 14th centuries, it was expanded, but its current appearance is the result of Catalan-Aragonese interventions that lasted four centuries. The baroque marble façade dates back to 1704, inspired on the cathedrals of Lucca and Pisa, was dismantled in the vain hopes of finding the medieval façade beneath. It was replaced by a neo-Romanesque marble structure in 1931.

Beneath the alter lies the Sanctuary of the Martyrs, a crypt dug into the rock (1618), which preserves 192 relics, distributed in niches, the works of master craftsmen from Cagliari and Sicily. The sacristy preserves the treasure of the cathedral: in particular, the Triptych of Clemens VII, attributed to a Flemish workshop (15th century), the Retablo dei Beneficiati, a creation of Neapolitan artists, and the marvellous paliotto by Palermo silver artists.

Opening hours:

Winter timetable :
8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.
On Sunday: 08.00 a.m. – 01.00 p.m./ 04.30-08.30p.m.
Summer timetable (from June 1st to September 30th)
8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m, from Monday to Saturday.
On Sunday: 08.00 a.m.-01.00 p.m./ 04.30-08.30p.m.

Free Entry