Church of Santa Ana

The beautiful church in front of you is the Collegiate Church of Santa Anna. It’s the main parish church in the Stampace district, and a fine example of Piedmontese Baroque style, with its twin bell towers and the grand staircase leading up to it.

It glows today in pale stone, but its construction stretched over more than two centuries! There was already a church on this site as early as the 13th century, but a larger space was needed as the local population grew.

Work on the new church began in the 18th century. The foundation stone was laid on 27 May 1785, but progress was slow due to lack of funds. Things eventually picked up thanks to a generous donation from Viceroy Charles Felix of Savoy. He wanted to install a chapel dedicated to Blessed Amadeus of Savoy, a pious ancestor of his. With his help, the church was finally inaugurated in 1817.

But the building still wasn’t complete. The interior paintings, stucco work, and high altar weren’t finished until 1906. The grand staircase was built in 1937, and the right bell tower was only completed in 1938.

The worst part is, World War II struck just as it was finally completed. The church was bombed and seriously damaged. Post-war renovations began shortly after, but the interior decoration was never fully restored. The church reopened for worship in 1951. This never-ending construction story inspired a typical local saying in Cagliari. If something is said to be done “alla Santa Anna”, it’s a sarcastic way of saying it’s taking forever!