Cagliari

Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, and chief town of the southern provinces, is situated within a bay formed by Capes Carbonara and Pula, of great commercial importance and forming a good harbour. It is the chief port of Sardinia, and has most of the export trade of the island, which consists of cork, corn, fruit, lead, oil, wine, and salt, which is furnished abundantly by evaporation from the salt marshes near the town. Cagliari lies on the slope and summit of a hill rising from the bay, the castle, the cathedral, the vice-regal palace, and most of the public buildings being on the upper part of the hill, while the slope is occupied by the Marina, with the residences of the commercial portion of the community. Stampace, to the west of the castle district, and Villanuova to the east, consist of narrow, irregular streets. The university, founded 1596, has a good library. The cathedral (fourteenth century) has an eighteenth century front; and among the many other churches and convents, the Capuchin monastery is interesting for its remains of Roman reservoirs. The town occupies the site of an ancient Carthaginian city, which after the first Punic war became Roman, and very many remains testify to its importance during this period. A Jewish colony, founded by Tiberius, remained there till 1492 A.D., when they were expelled by the Spanish. The town has been once bombarded by the English and once by the French.