The Bastion Saint Remi is an imposing defensive structure, which dominates the city of Cagliari from its elevated position. It offers not only a spectacular view of the capital and the surrounding sea, but also a fascinating immersion in the history and culture of the city and Sardinia.
Short history of the Saint Remy Bastion
The Saint Remy Bastion was built in the 19th century during the Savoy rule over the island, as a response to the need to strengthen the city’s defenses against external threats.
Its construction is an excellent example of military architecture of the time, with massive walls and watchtowers proudly rising above the surrounding urban fabric.
The Bastion Saint Remy is therefore a monumental bulwark, part of the defenses of Castello, the historic district of Cagliari. Located between Via Mario De Candia and Piazza Costituzione, on the border with the district of Villanova, it is dedicated to Filippo Guglielmo Pallavicino delle Frabose, baron of Saint-Rhémy en Bosses, first Savoy viceroy of the Kingdom of Sardinia. It is an icon of the city of Cagliari.
The district of Castello, where stands the Bastion of Saint Remy, called Castédhu ‘e Súsu in Sardinian or Castello di Sopra, is the main historical district of Cagliari, located on a limestone hill about one hundred meters above sea level. Founded by the Pisans in the thirteenth century, The district was fortified with walls, towers and ramparts, becoming the center of civil, military and religious power after the destruction of the judicial capital of Santa Igia by the same Pisans.
Over the centuries, the Castle has housed the palaces of power and noble residences under different dominations, including: Pisan (1215 – 1326), Aragonese-Spanish (1326 – 1708), Austrian (1708 – 1717), Spanish (1717 – 1720) and Savoy (1720 – 1861). Even today, the district is a symbol of the city of Cagliari, so much so that in Sardinian the city itself is called Casteddu.
Access to the district is through ancient medieval gates, open in the walls that surround much of the Castle, isolating it from the rest of the city and giving it a fascinating and historic atmosphere.
The Saint Remy bastion stands next to the ancient Spanish fortifications of the 16th century, which protected the south side of the city. These fortifications included the bastions of Santa Caterina, Sperone and Zecca, which belonged to the state until the abolition of the fortifications in 1866.
The former bastion of Santa Caterina, formerly known as Baluarte de la Ciudad or del Trabuc, and also as Terraple de la Fontana bona in medieval Old Spanish, was erected between 1530 and 1532 during the period of Aragonese domination. Oriented towards the south-east, towards the current square of the Constitution, over time, it has suffered structural setbacks due to the presence of a spring called Fontana bona.
Today, from the terrace Umberto I, you access the bastion of Santa Caterina through a short staircase. This bastion was already part of the sixteenth-century fortifications, but in the nineteenth century it was integrated with the rest of the surrounding terraces. Its current name comes from an adjacent convent, now disappeared, dating from the seventeenth century.
In the area of the bastion there are archaeological remains of Roman and medieval times, with both religious and military purposes, including cemetery and cult sites.
The Spur Bastion was formerly known as baluarte de la Leona or de la porta de la Leona.
The works for its construction began in the sixteenth century (Aragonese period) on the order of the viceroy of Sardinia Juan Dusay. In 1549, a parapet and cannons were added to increase defensive effectiveness. However, because of its limited size, the bulwark was the subject of proposals to expand it, but only in 1573-1578 was an underground tunnel built to connect it to the bastion of the Mint.
The Mint Bastion, formerly known as the baluarte de Porta Villanueva or de los Caldereros, in the seventeenth century housed the Mint, from which its current name derives. It was equipped with a casemate with a gunboat.
Foto : Unsplash
Architectural description of the Saint Remy Bastion
Built between 1899 and 1903 to a design by Giuseppe Costa, the Bastion of Saint Remy was commissioned by the town council of Cagliari. The costs were around 400 million lire, a considerable sum for the time, but to build it the ancient walls had to be demolished, arousing strong criticism from several politicians.
Immediately after completion, the municipal administration launched a competition for the installation of a fountain, but no project was considered suitable. Only on 1 October 1927 was finally installed a fountain, representing a Roman eagle in line with the Fascist symbolism. However, due to water pressure, the fountain damaged the square and flooded it. As a result, it was removed the next day and replaced with a banana tree, which is still present in the square of the Constitution.
Hit by the bombings in 1943, the Bastion of Saint Remy was used as a refuge for the displaced. Rebuilt after the war, work began in 1955 and was reopened in 1958. The terrace was recently restored between 2003 and 2017.
The building, 24 meters high and 40 meters wide, is built of pietraforte extracted from the quarries of the hill of Bonaria. It includes two large staircases with 170 steps each, crowned by a triumphal arch, and a spacious terrace on top. Of neoclassical style, with Corinthian columns, it has a central niche of 6 meters in diameter, which in 1927 housed the fountain, replaced by a banana tree still present.
Pietraforte di Bonaria is a variety of compact limestone of whitish-gray color, extracted from the quarries located on the hill of Bonaria, in the city of Cagliari.
This stone has historically been used for the construction of numerous buildings and monuments in the region, due to its strength and aesthetic beauty. Among its main features is the ability to take on a darker color over time, giving a distinctive appearance to the buildings built with it. Pietraforte di Bonaria has become an integral part of the architectural and cultural heritage of the city of Cagliari and the surrounding areas.
The Gallery and the terrace Umberto I of Savoy
The gallery and terrace are dedicated to Umberto I, the Italian sovereign who reigned as King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his death on 29 July 1900. He was the eldest son of King Victor Emmanuel II and his wife, Queen Adelaide of Austria. During his reign, Umberto I faced numerous political and social problems, including opposition movements, collective tensions of citizens and economic changes. He sought to strengthen the power of the monarchy and to promote the industrial and economic development of the country. In Italy there are several covered galleries named after King Umberto I of Savoy, including Naples and Turin, as well as Cagliari.
The covered walk is excavated in the structure of the bastion of the Mint and consists of three naves with eleven windows and a floor attic. Originally used as a banqueting hall, during the First World War it was used as an infirmary, while in the 1930s it hosted the exhibition of autarky during the period of sanctions.
After the war, it was the seat of the Treasury and in 1948 it hosted the first Sardinian Trade Fair. After years of neglect, it was restored in 2004 and is now used as a cultural space for art exhibitions.
From the Galleria Umberto I it is still possible to access the Galleria dello Sperone, where there are parts of the sixteenth-century walls.
The spacious terrace above, extended for 4600 sqm. and located 56.54 meters above sea level, offers a magnificent view of the neighborhoods of the historic center of Cagliari, including Villanova, Stampace and the Marina. From here you can admire the urban panorama of the city, with the pond of Cagliari and the regional natural park Molentargius-Saline, the Poetto and the Devil’s Saddle, and Mount Urpinu.
In the background you can see, from east to west: the Sette Fratelli massif, the Serpeddì and Linas mountains, the Sulcis mountains and up to Sarroch in the west. The terrace also incorporates the remains of the bastion of Santa Caterina.
Part of the terrace was named after British writer David Herbert Lawrence on 3 April 2003.
How to reach the Bastion Saint Remy
Once you reach the city of Cagliari, by boat or plane, or by train from any city in Sardinia, the Bastione San Remy is located in the historic center of the city in the ancient district of Castello.
It is located between Via Mario De Candia and Piazza della Costituzione, on the border with the district of Villanova.
The Bastion Saint Remy is always open with free admission.
Copertina: Unsplash
