The building of this church began in 1577 and the project is by Giorgio Palearo, famous at the time for being, along with his brother Jacopo, one of the most influential military architects in Europe. At the time the two were indeed in Cagliari, working at the new fortifications of the city and they were asked by Philip II of Spain himself to build a church dedicated to Saint Augustine. This was to partly compensate the demolition of the old Augustine convent, which had been necessary to allow the construction of the new city walls. It is one the very few Renaissance style buildings in Sardinia and has a Greek-cross plan, barrel vaults and a semi-spherical cupola. Entry to the church is both through the front portal as well as from the sacristy, along largo Carlo Felice.