Description of the attraction
Basilica of San Saturnino is an early Christian church in Cagliari on the island of Sardinia. This church was first mentioned at the beginning of the 6th century. Most likely, it was built next to the burial place of Saint Saturninus of Cagliari, who, according to one medieval document, was martyred in 304.
In 1089, the local ruler, Giudice Constantine II, handed over the entire religious complex, including the monastery, to the Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Saint Victor in Marseilles. On this occasion, the church was restored in the Romanesque-Provencal style and consecrated anew in 1119.
In 1324, during the siege of the Castello quarter by the troops of the Aragonese dynasty, the basilica was seriously damaged, and several decades later, by the will of King Peter IV of Aragon, it was given to the knightly order of San Jorge de Alfam. In subsequent centuries, the complex began to decline. In 1614, the entire surrounding area was dug up in search of the relics of the first Christian martyrs of Cagliari, which were then placed in the crypt of the Cathedral. Interestingly, in 1669, some of the building materials from the Basilica of San Saturnino were used for the reconstruction of the Baroque cathedral. In 1714, the basilica was consecrated again - this time in honor of Saints Cosmas and Damian. The last consecration of the church took place in 2004 after a lengthy restoration that lasted from 1978 to 1996.
The Basilica of San Saturnino is located in a walled area next to the early Christian necropolis, which is still undergoing archaeological excavations. Only part of the original building, which was built in the shape of a Greek cross with a transept and a hemispherical dome, has survived. The current church consists of a domed zone dating from the 5-6th centuries, and an east wing with a nave and two side chapels, which ends with a semicircular apse. The western facade of the temple, partially destroyed, is divided into three sectors. The lateral sectors have portals with architraves topped with round lunettes. The main entrance to the church is located on the site of the former west wing - it is notable for decorative impregnations made during the restoration of the 20th century. The eastern wing is decorated with blind Lombard arches, but the apse, unfortunately, has lost its original limestone cladding.
