Churches and Monuments of Sardinia
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Basilica of
Our Lady of Bonaria
Cagliari

The Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria is joined today to the adjacent and older Sanctuary of the same name. Because of their very different histories, we have decided to deal with the two buildings separately, though acknowleding the importance of both in the single description of Manuela Manca. Here we cite her entire account of the Basilica translated by Laurence Gambella; the account for the Sanctuary is found on a separate page.

The Basilica of Bonaria rises up next to the ancient Gothic-Aragonese Sanctuary. At the beginning of the 1700s, the Brothers of Ransom conceived of a great Basilica in honour of the Our Lady of Bonaria.The new church would, it was planned at the time, contain the C13th Sanctuary inside, as a chapel.
Building work began in 1704. However, only after a number of different interventions and long pauses between one century and another was it finally completed in 1960. The original draughtsman for the project was the Savoy military engineer Antonio Felice De Vincenti, who designed it in the Piedmontese baroque style. He also had a wooden model of the Basilica project constructed. The work was unable to continue, though, for lack of funds. After several interruptions, they began again towards the end of C18th, this time entrusting the task to the tutelage of De Vincenti's pupil Giuseppe Viana, also a military engineer. The new supervisor was not keen on his master's plan, however: the idea of the great baroque Basilica was, therefore, abandoned for a more sobre classical construction.
The great Basilica was inaugurated and opened for worship at the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century. It suffered serious damage in 1943 during the allied bombardments which struck Cagliari hard. The bombs caused irreparable damage: the frescoes were completely destroyed, as were a large number of other treasures. In the post-war period, the patient and slow task of reconstruction began, which only ended in 1998, for Easter. Vitally important to the success of the restoration was the contribution of Cagliari City Council. Inside the Basilica, near the entrance door, a series of texts and photos document the history of the church, showing how it looked before and after the restructuring .


The Basilica is built in a Latin cross-form and is divided into three naves. The side naves are separated from the central by huge white limestone coupled columns. The central nave is covered by a barrel vault, while those at either side have ribbed vaults. Where the centre nave and the transept meet, the high octagonal dome rises. In the middle of the presbytery there is a large baldaquin, which encloses the altar table. This is held up by four green marble columns and decorated by gilded copper angels figures, as are the capitals and arches. Together with the imposing coupled columns inside the naves, the baldaquin contributes to the impressiveness of this delightful temple which Pope Pius XI proclaimed Minor Basilica.

Passing through the side naves one can admire the chapels, four per nave, all decorated with large frescoes dedicated to the Madonna. They represent the "Episodes of the Life of Mary" and are the work of the painter Antonio Mura, who painted them in the early C19th. In the chapels of the right nave, he depicted Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of the Assumption (Assumpta est maria in cielum) and Our Lady Help of Christians (Auxilium Christianorum). In the chapels to the left, we find Our Lady of the Most High, the Immaculate Conception (Immacolata Conceptio ego sum) and Our Lady of the Rosary (Regina Sanctissimi Rosarii ora pro nobis).

The painting in the second chapel on the right figures the Holy Family (Et invenerunt Mariam et Josephe et Infantem) and was painted by Giuseppe Aprea, in Naples (1904). The canvas of the second chapel on the left is the work of Gina Baldracchini (who also frescoed the presbytery vault in the Sanctuary of Bonaria), Our Lady of Ransom (Redemptrix captivorum ora pro nobis). To the left of the presbytery, in the chapel of Our lady of Compassion, one can admire the sculpture of the Madonna, Help of Soldiers by the great Sardinian artist Francesco Ciusa. This scene, sculpted in marble, is deeply evocative.

LThe Basilica is connected to the Sanctuary with a glass door which is to the left of the main entrance. Another door, to the left of the transept, allows access to the sacristy.
The limestone facade is characterised by a sizeable portico. Above this there is a classical-style aedicula surmounted by a triangular tympanum, held up by two columns. A second typanum covering the entire construction, which highlights the emblem of Order of Ransom is also triangular. Underneath the portico there is a large statue of Pope Paul VI by Pietro Manzu. The bronze doors by Ernesto Lamagna date back to the last restoration .

In the churchyard there are two splendid bronze sculptures by Franco D'Aspro on maritime themes.
From the piazza of Bonaria one can enjoy a privileged view of the sea of Cagliari and walk down a long series of steps to the street below, Viale Diaz. The sides of the staircase are decorated by green flowering hedges. This lovely scene, for several years now, has staged a summer fashion parade for the island's designers.
To read about the Sanctuary press the button

To read the original text of Manuela Manca in Italian, press the button