The 27th edition of Cagliari Monumenti Aperti, which will be held in the Sardinian capital on Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28, opens with a dedication to Gianni Filippini, the “enlightened” councillor for Culture in the years of the event’s inception and later this year’s president emeritus. A non-formal remembrance for one of Cagliari’s great intellectuals of the 20th century. “He participated with passion and great spirit of dedication in the common work, until the last, he was our anchor, he shared with us the pleasure of organizing Monumenti Aperti and the difficulties and worries that often accompanied us during these years, with his lucid input and wisdom.”
Thus Imago Mundi OdV, the association that organizes Monumenti Aperti, in the note at the opening of the Guide to the event
.
“And the story continues. In Cagliari as in the rest of the island. The 27th birthday of Monumenti Aperti wants to mark a new springtime for our project, and certainly not only because it takes place in its deputed season but also and especially because it marks the return of closeness to normality, relaunching the prospects, in the short and medium and long term, of the project. Open Monuments, Mobile institution, as it was called some time ago. Because, increasingly a collective rite, it has truly become a non-static, itinerant entity that moves and moves constant virtuous processes of growth.”
Massimiliano Messina president of Imago Mundi
.
A 27th edition that will once again invite Cagliari residents and tourists to discover or rediscover the pleasure of wonder, as the communication campaign for this 2023 edition states, for the extraordinary cultural, natural, material and immaterial heritage of the city of Cagliari, where the event was born in May 1997. An intercultural invitation, as intercultural is the city’s ancient history, which will be declined between the canonical visits to monuments, narrated by thousands of young students, thematic itineraries, projects dedicated to families, urban games and a lot of attention to the accessibility of places for those with disadvantages and disabilities.
Eight itineraries that will tell the story of the city through its history and views in many different ways, with the novelty of five thematic sections through which 53 places in Cagliari will “speak” about arts, history, cultures, change and peace. All of this in a very eventful setting. Also, 28 concerts to be held in institutional buildings, churches, museums, nature parks and private homes, and 13 other miscellaneous initiatives.
As always, the machine of volunteers who make the event possible is remarkable. Some numbers: over 4500 students and teachers from 48 educational institutions, 416 volunteers from 28 associations, 675 volunteers for the Monuments in Music project from 27 organizations.
And it continues on the path that intends to lead, through the Committee that supports it, to the birth of the Open Monuments Heritage Community Foundation: the natural resultant of what has been done and put in place over all these years, the instrument, now of fundamental importance, to root the project even more deeply in the territories, communities and institutions and guarantee it long life, resources and development.
The Open Monuments project is among the finalists in the Social Innovation Tournament 2023, sponsored by the European Investment Bank Institute. SIT is a competition that promotes innovative ideas and rewards initiatives that help create social, ethical and environmental impact in their local area, in the areas of education, health, environment, circular economy, climate change, sustainable cities, blue and green economy, inclusion, job creation and many others.
Fifteen finalists from 10 countries were selected from an outstanding pool of 284 applicants from 33 of 42 eligible countries.
From innovative solutions such as green hydrogen activation, early dementia detection or inclusion in housing access, to cultural heritage protection and enhancement, the selected projects are those that have most generated social, ethical or environmental impact for sustainable societies and communities.
Finalists from all SIT editions become members of the SIT Alumni Network. As such, they will be able to benefit from numerous training opportunities and an innovation grant program and attend conferences across Europe, network with investors, venture philanthropists and foundations that can help them in the
scaling up
of their own projects.
THE MONUMENTS TO VISIT
Fifty-three monuments
that the event offers this year, grouped according to four keys: Arts, History, Cultures, Change, plus a special one, Peace, dedicated to commemorating the 80th anniversary of the ’43 bombing of Cagliari. These “passe-partouts,” by trainer, tour guide and cultural heritage popularizer Claudia Caredda of Trip Sardinia, were also offered to participating schools to help students in their study of the monuments. Keys constituting unprecedented viewpoints that supported the children in the preparation of the guided tours, providing them with the tools to become passionate and gain a stronger affection for their historical heritage. In fact, in March, Imago Mundi offered 67 teachers involved in the event the training course Exercises in Wonder, curated by art historian and museum educator Marco Peri. Teachers were guided in the development of new projects and activities to experiment with their classes during the preparation for the XXVII edition of Open Monuments, learning how to interpret the adopted monument according to the annual theme “Practices of Wonder.” The year 2023 is the European Year of Competencies, and on this occasion those acquired by students and volunteers in the educational course of preparation for the event days will be validated in the platform
www.cagliari-metropolitan.cityoflearning.eu
With the awarding of digital badges.
Four themes that will also be proposed, through the event’s Official Guide, to the public, who will be called upon to photograph and share the proposed routes on social media using the tag #monumentiaperti2023.
There are seven new additions this year: Church of San Rocco, Villino Cocco, Ichnusa Rowing Society, Eleonora d’Arborea Gymnastics Society, Mirella Mibelli Archive, “Nuragica” Exhibition and Sarda Cineteca Società Umanitaria Public Media Library.
Records of all monuments, routes and practical information can be found at monumentiaperti.org.
Wonder of the Arts collects all those monuments that stand out for their special artistic value and communicate the skill of painters, sculptors, carvers, silversmiths and architects who have embellished the city over the centuries. From the splendid Rococo vault of the sacristy of St. Michael’s Church, through the fine modern and contemporary art collections of the Municipal Art Gallery and MUACC, to the silent triumph of the sculptures of the Bonaria Monumental Cemetery.
The following monuments are part of it: Mirella Mibelli Archive, University Library, Cathedral Crypt of SS Martyrs, Church of the Purissima, Church of St. Michael, Bonaria Cemetery, Sardinian Film Library, Foundation of Sardinia, Municipal Art Gallery, MUACC (University Museum of Contemporary Cultures and Arts).
Wonder of History. More than two thousand five hundred years of the city’s history are declined in the Wonders of History: monuments that can testify to the different phases of Cagliari’s evolution and its most important events. From ancient to medieval archaeology to the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century, visiting these monuments will make it possible to reconstruct, piece by piece, the events that have marked the history of Sardinia’s capital city. The following are part of this section: Archaeological Area of Sant’Eulalia, Basilica, Sanctuary and Museum of Bonaria, Basilica of San Saturnino, Calamosca anti-aircraft battery, Church of Santa Lucia, Villino Cocco, Shelter Gallery, Railroad Museum, Rector’s Palace, Viceregio Palace, Villa Devoto Park, San Pancrazio Well, Elephant Tower and Tuvixeddu Archaeological Park.
Wonder of Cultures. Cagliari reveals, in its museums and monuments, a truly extraordinary cultural wealth. From the Siamese art collection to one of the most prestigious anatomical wax collections in Europe. But culture is not just that. This section is called the Wonders of Cultures because culture is multifaceted: it goes from historical artifacts to scientific artifacts, from books to folk traditions to include the sports, religious, social, and political institutions that still represent a cross-section of city life. Sometimes these treasures are unknown because they are hidden or little visited. They include the small church of San Rocco, for the first time included in the Open Monuments circuit. The section includes Basilica of Santa Croce, Ichnusa Rowing Society, Masonic House, Church of San Rocco, Church and Crypt of Sant’Efisio, Citadel of Museums (archaeological collections of the University, UNICA Cere Susini collection), Piloni Collection, Regional Council of Sardinia, “Nuragica” Exhibition, Siamese Art Museum, Museum of Zoology (UNICA Scientific Museums), Botanical Garden and “Eleonora d’Arborea” Gymnastics Society.
The Wonder of Change section contains all those monuments that have been affected by a process of transformation that has delivered them to modernity without betraying their history. So that from the old Capuchin Garden we now have a new garden in which some of the medicinal herbs of yesteryear are grown; where there was a salt storage center, on the San Bartolomeo Canal, now stands the striking Nervi Park. And so on.
Monumenti Aperti aimed to encapsulate all those forms of modernization that have been able to dialogue with the past while enriching the city of the future. The following have been included in this section: Saddi Grippo House, Gardens of the Faculty of Economics, Citadel of Museums (fortifications), Manifattura Tabacchi, Capuchin Garden, Civic Palace, Molentargius Park and Nervi Park.
Wonder of Peace. This year marks exactly eighty years since the World War II bombing of Cagliari. A special section was dedicated to this tragic event for two reasons: because there are no “wonders of war,” and so that these monuments, in bearing witness to the tragedies and nefariousness brought about by wartime conflict, may be messengers of the precious value of peace. Included in this theme are St. Augustine’s Church, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Crypt of St. Restituta, Institute of the Blind, Civil Hospital and Underground, Underground Salesian Institute and Former 68th Air Force Fuel Depot.
THE ITINERARIES.
Visits to the fifty-three monuments will be accompanied by
eight itineraries
, a formula that has enjoyed growing interest in recent editions of the event. And among those particularly eagerly awaited and chosen ones is undoubtedly the Thirty Feet of Monuments, which this year will unfold in the neighborhood of St. Benedict to discover its stories, voices and colors among the buildings. The Trentapiedi is a project curated by Vestigia – Laboratory of Didactics and Communication of Cultural Heritage of the Universitỳ of Cagliari in collaboration with Liceo Artistico Foiso Fois.
Foreigners in Cagliari, organized by the Pro Loco Città di Cagliari in collaboration with I.I.S. De Sanctis-Deledda, offers two fascinating routes through two itineraries specially designed to allow all citizens to enjoy the beauty and majesty of Cagliari’s five monumental trees and the oldest specimens particular to the city’s green spaces. Departures from Aquilino Cannas Square and Ravot Square.
Itinerary on epidemics in Cagliari, edited by I.I.S. De Sanctis-Deledda. Departure from the parvis of the Basilica of Bonaria to the monumental cemetery. During the tour, the relationship between the places and monuments present and some of the epidemics that affected the city of Cagliari will be examined: the Baroque plague, the epidemic of 1816, and the smallpox epidemic of 1829. One space will be devoted to describing the discovery of cephalosporins by the great scientist Brotzu and the link between the Punic necropolis and malaria.
St. Elias Hill Itinerary, by the Karst Hounds Association. Departure from the Calamosca Avenue traffic circle. The Sant’Elia promontory, like the hills on which Cagliari stands, preserves a valuable natural habitat. The area was inhabited in prehistoric times (6th mill. B.C.), then in Punic and Roman times for cultural purposes (temple of Astarte); in medieval times it was a hermitage of Vittorini monks, and the small church named after the martyr St. Elias was venerated until modern times.
Walk through the historic center to tell the story of the Sardinian revolution, edited by Sardinian National Assembly. Departure from Aquilino Cannas Square. April 28, 1794, “Die de s’aciapa,” culminating in the expulsion of the Piedmontese, is a symbol of Sardinia’s three-year revolutionary period. What happened? Among the alleys of Castello, the scene of the revolt, stories, places, anecdotes and characters of the Sardinian rebellion against Savoyard oppression will be told. The walks will be conducted in Italian on Saturday and both Sardinian and Italian on Sunday.
Walking in Sardinian – passillendi in sardu, edited by the Acadèmia de Su Sardu. Guided tours by Michela Foddis. Start from Via Roma under the arcades, Bacaredda Palace side. Monumenti Aperti speaks in Sardinian: a traveling narrative about Cagliari and its most striking sights conducted entirely in the language of our land, in the Campidanese variant. In fact, thanks to the Acadèmia de su Sardu APS association, special Sardinian-language walks will be held between the Marina district and the streets of Castello: a historical and literary journey through the streets, monuments and anecdotes of a city that encompasses a maze of identities and origins from all over the Mediterranean.
The Embankment of Cagliari – from fortified castle guard ditch to tree-lined avenue, Organized by the ScienceSocietyScience Association in collaboration with students from I.I.S. M. Giua of Assemini. Departures from Marghinotti Square and Terrapieno upper part. The Cagliari Embankment is a historic promenade created by filling in the ancient guard ditch located at the foot of the east side of the medieval castle. The nineteenth-century intervention resulted in a valuable tree-lined avenue, thanks to the abundance of topsoil where various species of trees were planted, especially pines, ficus, palms, and false pepper. Over time, the Embankment has lost many specimens; today its condition lends itself well to a critical examination of our relationship with the plant world in urban settings. The Embankment can be a window into the history of the city with special emphasis on the plant component and its monumental and non-monumental trees.
Bastion – Cagliari at 360°, edited by Corisard. Departure from the Saint Remy Bastion, Boyl Palace side. The City of Cagliari will be told from the top of the Bastion with the possibility of an almost 360-degree view, in the different languages of the members of the coordinating associations. Operating languages: English, Spanish, French, Filipino, Chinese, Ukrainian, and others.
Bastion – Cagliari at 360° is part of the project
MONUMENTS OPEN TO EVERYONE!
, an initiative strongly desired by Monumenti Aperti, which aims to facilitate accessibility to monuments for those with temporary or permanent disadvantages and disabilities and to foster interculturalism. This year’s project includes guided tours of monuments or choral performances by associations such as ANFASS, ABC Sardinia o Turin Institute of the Deaf Foundation. And also for this 2023 edition, the valuable collaboration with CTM Amicobus Service, CTM’s personalized service dedicated to people with disabilities who cannot use regular public transportation service. On the occasion of Monumenti Aperti, CTM will activate Amicobus on Saturday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with reservations made on Friday by 1 p.m.) and Sunday, May 28, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with reservations made on Saturday by 10 a.m.), providing only the monuments affected by the event as destinations. More info at www.ctmcagliari.it or by calling toll-free 800 259 745.
ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES
Wonder lurks. Urban Game in the Castle District. The Marco Polo Cultural Association aims to engage the Cagliari public in a new treasure hunt entitled “The Wonder Lurks.” Young detectives, children and teens alike, will experience an adventure in search of clues, rebuses, riddles and insights among the monuments and places of interest in the historic district: Porta Cristina, Piazza Carlo Alberto, Piazza Palazzo, the Bastion of Saint Remy, and Via Lamarmora. But also central will be Cagliari’s illustrious figures, key witnesses and actors in the moment of transition between the ancient and modern city.
Info and reservations:
info@tripsardinia.com
– 393 4417811. The project is supported by Agricura, an organic farming company.
BEWARE OF SARDEXPAY SOCIAL FRAMES!
Thanks to a partnership with SardexPay, sponsor of Monumenti Aperti 2023, at several monuments you can enjoy taking pictures using fun social frames and receive a special gift from the Sardexpay Cashback app. This is the list of monuments where it will be possible to find them: Basilica of San Saturnino, Church of Sant’Efisio, Bonaria Cemetery, Cittadella dei Musei, Municipal Gallery – Public Gardens, Botanical Garden, Capuchin Garden, Molentargius Park, Tuvixeddu Park, MUACC University Museum of Contemporary Arts and Cultures.
OPEN MONUMENTS PRESS TOUR
The Monumenti Aperti Press Tour will last three days, from May 26 to 28, and will be held to coincide with the dates of Cagliari Monumenti Aperti, thanks to the contribution of the Tourism Department of the Municipality of Cagliari from the 2023 Call for Proposals for the promotion, economic development and tourist and commercial enhancement of the city.
The goal will be to lead journalists to discover the city of Cagliari on the days when it will be “invaded” by the large audience and thousands of students who are the protagonists of the event, and to show how much the city of Cagliari has to offer in the month of May, with a climate that allows visitors to walk along the extraordinary waterfront, moving in a sustainable way thanks to the urban transport network, which is among the best in Europe, and also discovering the natural beauty, among both traditional and experimental routes.
A collective guided tour of the city will be provided for each of the guests at the places covered by the event. A number of focuses on the city’s food and wine tradition will also be carried out during the days, with the aim of letting people discover and narrate the uniqueness of Cagliari in their relationship between tradition and innovation. The Monumenti Aperti Press Tour benefits from a partnership with the Costadoria winery and winery.
