Church of Santa Ana

The church of Saint Anne, in Cagliari

The collegiate church of Saint Anne is the main parish church of the Stampace district, in Cagliari, a fine example of Piedmontese baroque. The Cagliari audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this building of light stone, with its façade framed by two bell towers and preceded by a great staircase, whose construction extended over more than two centuries, from the laying of the first stone in 1785 to the completion of the bell tower in 1938.

History

The fine church that stands here is the collegiate of Santa Anna, main parish church of the Stampace district. It presents the fine Piedmontese baroque style, with its façade framed by two bell towers and preceded by a great staircase, all light in its luminous stone. Its construction, however, lasted more than two centuries. It is known that a church already existed here in the thirteenth century, but the building of the collegiate began only in the eighteenth, when it became indispensable to build a larger church for a strongly increased population. The first stone was laid on 27 May 1785, but the works advanced with difficulty, for lack of means. It is finally thanks to the viceroy Charles-Felix of Savoy, who wished to install there a chapel dedicated to the blessed Amadeus of Savoy, an ancestor recognised for his piety, that an important sum was gathered, allowing the church to be inaugurated in 1817. The building, however, remained unfinished: the paintings, the stuccoes and the high altar were completed only in 1906, the staircase dates from 1937, and the right bell tower was erected only in 1938. You will visit this place of prayer in the calm and contemplation.

What to see

Here you admire, in contemplation, the main parish church of Stampace, a fine witness of the Piedmontese baroque with its light façade framed by two bell towers and preceded by a great staircase; its construction, spread over more than two centuries between 1785 and 1938, was supported by the viceroy Charles-Felix of Savoy. The church of Saint Anne is a place of prayer of the artisans' district, to be visited with respect. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The church of Saint Anne stands in the Stampace district, in Cagliari, reachable on foot. It is a place of worship in activity, whose access is made in the respect of the services and of contemplation; the hours of visit vary. It is best to enquire before coming and to adopt correct attire.

How long did the construction of the church of Saint Anne of Cagliari last?

More than two centuries: the first stone was laid on 27 May 1785, but, for lack of means, the church was inaugurated only in 1817 thanks to the support of the viceroy Charles-Felix of Savoy, and remained unfinished; the paintings and the high altar were completed in 1906, the staircase in 1937 and the right bell tower only in 1938.

Where is the church of Saint Anne in Cagliari?

In the Stampace district, in Cagliari, in Italy.