Garibaldi Street

You’ve arrived on Via Garibaldi, a lively street in the Villanova district. As the name suggests, you’re now in the “new town,” and the architecture around you is a far cry from the medieval heart of Castello. This stretch is lined with shops, revealing a more modern side of Cagliari.

Since we’re on Garibaldi Street, let’s take a moment to talk about the man behind the name.

Giuseppe Garibaldi was born in Nice in 1807, when the city was under French control following Napoleon’s campaigns in Italy. In 1814, Nice reverted to Piedmontese rule, and stayed that way until it was annexed by France in 1860.

Garibaldi is considered one of the founding fathers of modern Italy, alongside Count Cavour and King Victor Emmanuel II. He played a key role in the movement for Italian unification, proclaimed in 1861 with the creation of the Kingdom of Italy and completed in 1870 with the annexation of Rome.

A kingdom which, since we’re in Sardinia, is worth noting was then called the Kingdom of Sardinia and was led by Victor Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy and King of Piedmont-Sardinia.

Garibaldi earned the nickname “Hero of the Two Worlds” for having fought in numerous military campaigns not only in Europe, but also in South America. While he often acted with the backing of legitimate governments and wasn’t a revolutionary in the strictest sense, he was a committed man who fought for national freedom and the international ideals of diplomacy between peoples.

He enjoyed incredible popularity during his lifetime and was praised by figures such as Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Alexandre Dumas. Both the United Kingdom and the United States gave him financial and military aid. The man became a legend. It would take an entire day to go through all his battles, but now you have a glimpse into the man behind the name… and the world he helped shape.