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The Botanical Garden of Cagliari was opened on November 15, 1866, by Patrizio Gennari, a professor of Botany at the University of Cagliari. As a clear distinction from the first similar facilities dating back to 1762-1769 (of which no traces are still visible today), it was originally named “Orto della Valle di Palabanda” after the valley floor which it covers on about 12 acres. The same spot used to be the site of a Roman amphitheatre in III AD.

The current botanical garden stands on fertile land, formerly planted with vineyards, and takes advantage of the particular microclimate in this area; it hosts about 600 trees, 550 shrubs and 75 liana species, 800 potted specimens and 1.000 succulent plants, partly grown in greenhouses and partly in open fields.

It is divided into three main sectors: the Mediterranean one, with plants from the three vegetation belts of Sardinia and species from the Mediterranean climate (Chile, California, Australia, etc.); the tropical sector, which highlights its creator’s vision and is aimed at the acclimatization of several plant species; last but not least, there’s the area reserved to succulent plants, which exploits the natural vocation of drylands and rocky outcrops.

There are also several monumental specimen belonging, in particular, to the Ficus, Phytolacca, Dracena, Casuarina, Eucalyptus, Dasylirion and Nolina spp. genera.
Visitors may also admire a wondrous specimen of Argania sideroxylon, endemic of Morocco (probably the only one growing in Italian and European Botanical Gardens), and a spectacular Euphorbia canariensis.

The Botanical Garden of Cagliari is also considered an area of considerable archaeological interest due to the presence of numerous Punic cisterns, a Roman well and traces of a Roman aqueduct connecting Villamassargia to Cagliari.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)