Bastion Di Saint Remy: Cagliari's Architectural Gem

The island of Sardinia is a part of Italy but also has its own rather distinct culture, history, and charm. For those who love Italy and Mediterranean getaways but who are looking for something just a little bit different, it is the perfect destination: a luxury villa in Sardinia will ensure a holiday experience boasting the strong culinary traditions (don't try ordering a pizza in a restaurant before 7pm), incredible natural beauty, ancient ruins, Spanish remnants and influences, and the endless list of things to see and do on the island.

The Sardinian capital of Cagliari, equally, is uniquely distinct and lovely. Home to around 155,000 inhabitants, Cagliari is a university town and an ancient archiepiscopal district that is divided into four quarters: Castello, Stampace, Marina and Villanova. The historic core of the city is the district of Castello, which is one of the most picturesque Old Towns in all of Italy and the kind of place where one should aim to get a little lost in order to have a proper wander and to soak up the unique atmosphere of the place. If you're taking the time to really see Cagliari then you really should come to explore the wider avenues and winding little roads, the pretty little squares framed by colourful houses, the lines of washing strung between buildings, the medieval gates and historic buildings, and the views out over the harbour in this picturesquely ancient part of the city.

Of course, if you are exploring this part of Cagliari and want to best take in the views over the surrounding area then you should make your way to the Bastion di Saint Remy. Emerging from the clustered streets and old houses stacked upon each other in the district of Castello, the Bastion di Saint Remy is a great terrace that is grand and soaring and affords sweeping views over the entire city and the harbour. One of the newer additions to the district, it is a monument that dates to the end of the 19th century among medieval surroundings and built on top of the ancient walls of the city, which date to the 14th century.

Created to connect the three southern bastions of the Mint, Santa Caterina, and Sperone and to join the Castello district with those below of Villanova and Marina, the Bastion di Saint Remy was built in an impressive and swaggering neoclassical style from gleaming Pietra Forte, a white and yellow limestone that is abundant in the surrounding area. Designed in 1896 by the engineer Giuseppe Costa and Fulgenzio Setti, the Bastion di Saint Remy was built on the site of the old Bastion of the Sperone. The central triumphal arch motif and curved screen walls immediately stand out from the more clustered medieval surroundings and then the Corinthian columns lend an imposing appearance, while the double stairway that leads up to the covered promenade opened in the 20th century further emphasises the grandiose character of the structure.

This covered promenade has undergone various uses since it was first unveiled and inaugurated in 1901 including being used as a banquet hall, then an infirmary during WWI, then a refuge for those displaced during WWII, and hosting the first Sardinian trade fair in 1948. Despite being damaged badly by bombing by the American B-17s in WWII and also suffering from years of neglect, the Bastion di Saint Remy was eventually carefully restored and after its most recent renovations it has been used in modern times as a cultural space for different kinds of events. Today, it is most frequently used to house temporary art exhibitions.

In addition to the covered promenade, the staircase will lead you up to the Umberto I Terrace where you can take in the aforementioned excellent view over the city and the port of Cagliari. Many report that, especially on hot days, this is actually quite a taxing climb but those views are well-worth the effort. However, if you are uninterested in undergoing that struggle, or if you are not mobile enough to do so, then you can also take one of the elevators from the Giardino Sotto Le Mure or Piazza Yenne instead of the staircases from Piazza Costituzione. From the Umberto I Terrace, there is a further short flight of steps that leads to the Bastion of Santa Caterina and the former site of an old Dominican convent that burned to the ground in 1800.

While the covered promenade is used to house cultural events and exhibitions that are often interesting and well-worth attending in their own right, if you visit the stunning architectural gem that is the Bastion di Saint Remy today you will likely find that the stairs are dotted by students and tourists sitting about casually, as it is a popular hub and well-known meeting point for young people attending the nearby university and a common resting point for those exploring the city. If you have found a luxury villa in Sardinia or a luxury villa in Italy and find yourself also exploring this beautiful and historic part of Cagliari then you should make a point to come and admire this lovely feat of architecture, to take in those astounding views that it offers from above, and to really soak up the unique character and culture of the city by surrounding yourself with the vitality of its youth. This is more than just a place to enjoy a pretty view in Sardinia, it is a spot where you can really get an authentic sense of one of the most charming cities in all of Italy.