The caixa del corall

During the most prosperous period for coral fishing, in Alghero the Caixa del Corall, a Coral Bank was set up; this was a type of pension fund into which the coral fisherman deposited a certain quantity of red gold in preparation for their old age.

The fishermen paid a percentage at the end of each fishing campaign into this Coral bank which was reserved for coral fishermen only, who on reaching an advanced age could no longer support themselves by fishing.

In addition, funding for works of public interest was also drawn from the Caixa del Corall, including those for various chapels of the Cathedral of Santa Maria.

One such chapel was the 1608 Chapel of S. Filippo Neri, mentioned as ‘dels Carcassonas’, a noble family from Alghero with Israelite origins who had owned a chapel in the cathedral since 1574. 

Historical sources say that around 1750, Bishop Carlo Francesco Casanova financed the construction of a new polychrome marble altar with an altarpiece depicting saints in veneration of the Madonna. The 'Coral Bank' gave a sum totalling "mil y cient escudos" for the work to be carried out.

Funding was also provided for the Chapel of the B.V. Annunziata. In 1572 the guild of tailors and shoemakers was authorised to commission a new marble altar. Erected in 1755, roughly 400 Sardinian scudi were paid, largely with funds from the Caixa del Corall.