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The Ìgantija Archaeological Heritage Park The Ìgantija temple complex stands on one of the highest points of the Xag˙ra plateau and consists of two temple units enclosed within a single massive boundary wall. The remains of this megalithic structure, along with several other Neolithic sites spread across both Malta and Gozo, are testimony to a civilisation that established itself on the islands over 5,000 years ago. The community managed to provide a surplus of food which was essential in maintaining a healthy community. This is what possibly allowed a group of people to take leadership in ritual and community affairs. The surrounding sea allowed commercial and cultural contact with Sicily but also isolated our islands, allowing its inhabitants to evolve on essentially internal inspirations that culminate in the construction of monumental temple structures and the production of exceptional artefacts. Ìgantija is widely considered to be the most impressive of the prehistoric temples on the Maltese islands, mostly due to its sheer size and imposing height. Archaeological work on this site has revealed that the structure was constructed in successive stages throughout the Temple period. The oldest part of the structure is the larger South temple which dates to roughly 3600BC, thus making Ggantija one of the earliest
12 l 13 free-standing structures in the world. Besides its antiquity, the significance of this monument lies in the fact that it represents a distinctive architectural form that was highly innovative and unprecedented at the time of its construction. The site’s outstanding value has been recognized by UNESCO and in 1980 Ìgantija was inscribed on its list of World Heritage Sites. The inscription was later extended to include five other megalithic temples. Fully conscious of the site’s undisputed importance, Heritage Malta secured funds from the European Regional Development Fund in order to develop a project that was aimed at providing an enriched experience to those visiting this site. The project was officially inaugurated in October 2013 and incorporated the construction of an Interpretation Centre that houses the most significant prehistoric finds in Gozo and the rehabilitation of the grounds surrounding the temples.
Images: Various sections of the Ìgantija Temples in Xag˙ra, Gozo. © Heritage Malta.
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tallinja Smartphone App
You can now access real time information about the bus service by downloading the new tallinja app for iPhone and Android smartphones. This innovative app will continue improving your experience of the public transport service. You can use this app to locate your closest bus stop. You can also view which bus routes serve your closest stop and get to know the estimated time of arrival of buses arriving at your closest stop within the next 30 minutes. The tallinja app makes use of GPS technology where every bus transmits its current location to the central system. The system then compares the location to where the bus is planned to arrive and estimates that time of arrival on each of the 2,000 bus stops around Malta and Gozo. The app gives tallinja card holders additional benefits. With a simple online registration process, tallinja card holders may check their card balance, top up their card and even see their actual bus trips and transaction history. Planning a journey by bus is also easier with the new app. All bus stops are identifiable on a map, and by clicking on any one of these bus stops, you can plan your journey with ease.
Images: Š Malta Public Transport
10th, 11th & 12th June The sound of French troubadour music, eclectic Estonian music and atmospheric Tuareg arrangements will be part of G˙anafest’s programme for this year at Argotti Gardens, under the new artistic direction of Renzo Spiteri. This festival will be converging soundscapes and cultures that look seemingly disparate but are indeed closer than one may think. In this regard, even Maltese traditional and more avant-gardist art forms will be fitting in the scheme of things thanks to their history, affinity with the national image and the ever-changing pace of folk itself. Spiteri, a renowned percussionist, has endeared himself with various styles and will be giving his personal touch to this year’s festival. Sirventés will be performing on the first day. They are quintessential revivalists of the troubadour style and their delivery, mannerisms and eloquence in this regard is second to none. Mastering digression and improvisation, they can deliver a courteous, intemperate and unpredictable product that remains valid in a modern, complex world.
Estonia will be the first Baltic state to be represented at G˙anafest thanks to Trad.Attack!, who take their inspiration from old archive recordings of Estonian traditional songs and contemporary music. Folk music is their starting point but their ears, mind and soul remain open to different styles and new directions, whilst maintaining their emotional roots.
Ezza from North Africa will be closing procedures on Sunday. This powerful trio transforms and brings the Tuareg music off the usual path, blending without any concessions modern rock sounds, African pulse, rhythmic trances and relentless groove. They produce a more contemporary sound than what Taureg music is usually associated with - nomadic Saharan music.
16 l 17 KaΩinSka is a band as well as an ongoing project embracing Maltese roots and world music. The music of KaΩinSka, as the name suggests, focuses primarily on ska music fused with traditional banda marches. Their banda marches’ melodies also include reggae, samba, jazz and R&B, with the end result being a joyous atmosphere synonymous with the ‘festa Maltija’ with a contemporary sound. KaΩinSka play mostly instrumental music with sporadic lyrics uttered in association with the particular tune.
Mistura started as an acoustic duo by Malcolm Bonnici and Antonio Olivari. It debuted in 2012 at L-G˙anja tal-Poplu where they won the World Association of Festivals & Artists (WAFA) award for Best New Talent. This year’s G˙anafest, apart from a wide selection of traditional folk singing and performance that is much sought after and which itself is part of an old rich cultural tapestry, will offer contemporary Maltese music revived and renewed with passion or intertwined with other forms of music.
Cushion, an Indian fusion band which is based in Malta, offers a very interesting mid tempo fusion of western and eastern chill-out music, mostly inclined towards the sound of India, with dominant sitar licks, eastern inclinations on vocal threads, backed with sublime ambience from the keys, and interesting bass and drum patterns to wrap it all up. GÓANAFEST Malta World Music Festival 2016 is organised by Arts Council Malta and supported by the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government, MSV Life and TVM. The Festival will be held on 10-12th June at 7pm, at Argotti Gardens, Floriana – within walking distance from Valletta. Tickets: €3 and €7 for a three-day block ticket available at the door. Parking available at the Floriana Boy Scouts headquarters, right next to the venue. www.maltaworldmusicfestival.org
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Local Councils Events in June Celebrating Tradition, Folklore and Culture 4th Ġieħ lill-Granmastru Alof de Wignacourt u l-proġett tal-Akkwadott Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp Santa Venera from 20:00 Grandmaster Alof de Wignacourt , from his own pocket, solved the shortage of water faced by the city of Valletta by building an aqueduct from Rabat to Valletta. A ceremony highlighting the inauguration of the aqueduct was held at Saint George’s Square in Valletta on 21st April 1615. The longest part of the aqueduct passes through St Venera from Imrieħel down to St. Joseph High Street, corner with Óal Qormi Street, where one can find the tower known as the Turretta. This part of the aqueduct has the highest arches. From this site the aqueduct continues underground until it reaches Valletta. Up till the year 1945 the aqueduct was still linked by a wider arch dividing St Joseph High Street. Unfortunately, in 1945, this arch was destroyed as a huge British service crane tried to pass through it. Since then, the aqueduct ended up in two sections. In later years a number of arches had to be demolished, to make way for the increasing traffic. 5th Fish Fesitval (5th Edition) Ûurrieq Centre, iΩ-Ûurrieq from 08:30 During the 5th Edition of the Ûurrieq Fish Festival, fresh fish and cooked fish will be sold. To compliment there will also be other typical Maltese sweets and delicacies, all served at the main square, while in the background there will be a varied musical program which will be entertaining the whole family throughout the day. 5th Festival Agrarju tal-Patata 2016 Misraħ il-Maqluba, il-Qrendi, 0800- 19:00 The Agrarian Potato Festival that is being held in the pittoresque village of Qrendi earmarks one of the main products produced by this locality. The festival highlights the importance of this product in today's culture, and how potato is produced throughout the year. There are various types of this potatoes which can be used in different cuisines. Visitors can taste some of these different types of potatoes, as well as buy raw potatoes. Local farmers will be exhibiting their products and the machinery that was used in days gone by while explaining to those present how things are done in the present day. The Ġnien tal-Kmandant, an 18th century garden erected by Sir Alexander Ball, is going to be open for the general public. Rumour has it that this garden was used for potato experimentation when Malta was a colony of the British Empire.
11th Birkirkara MaΩ-Ûminijiet Pjazza Santa Elena and Triq il-Kbira, Birkirkara This is a cultural event with traditional maltese crafts, re-enactment, maltese folk singing ‘G˙ana’, popular maltese bands and singers, food stalls and traditional games. 12th L-Iswejjaq Pjazza San Lawrenz, San Lawrenz, Gozo 08:00 : 13:00 ‘L-Iswejjaq’ means ‘small market’. The Activity is intended to offer a market environment for artisan arts and crafts and food and to bring to life the newly renovated square with activities for all the family. 24th Bonfire of St John Pjazza Rotunda and the surrounding streets, Mosta from19:00 Mosta Local Council is organising ‘Huġġieġa ta’ San Ìwann’ – ‘Bonfire of St John’ with the motto ‘It-Tama tal-Bidwi tgħajjex il-Bidwi’. This is a feast with the participation of the 2 local bands and local singers. There is going to be local food, sale of vegetables and fruit, sale of craft items, sale of carboot sale, late night shopping, exhibition of old cars and military cars, kids area. 25th In©eddu Tfulitna Pretty Bay, BirΩebbu©a from 19:00 During this 70’s themed activity, there will be various shows and attractions, such as cars, motorbikes, singing, dancing and other performers on stage, including the group No Cleu. The activity will also host a fashion show by Gaffiero Productions, themed around the fashion of the 70’s. Various stands, games and entertainment for all the family, including kids area for the little ones!
L-Imnarja An Old Popular Feast By Joseph Borg, President of Soçjeta’ Agrarja
Images: Displays of local agricultural products. © IMPACT PR.
The feast of St. Peter and St.Paul which falls on the 29th of June, has always been celebrated with great pomp at the Cathedral of the Old Capital, Mdina, long before the Knights came to Malta. The city walls and the roof of the Cathedral used to be lit up with beacons and torches, [fjakkoli] which gave the name to this feast as l-Imnarja, derived from the Italian word Luminarja, meaning light. Falling in early summer when the harvesting season is practically over, the feast has long acquired popularity among the farming community and so farmers and their families from all over the island used to converge to Mdina’s Cathedral to attend the religious functions and procession , as a way of thanksgiving for the Year’s yields and as a short respite from their daily toils. They used to spend the eve and the feast day, in Rabat and in the surrounding countryside, finding shelter from the scorching mid-day sun, under the trees,. Nearby Buskett, a woodland garden planted by the Knights, eventually became a popular resting place. Here and in the surrounding area, firewood for cooking a meal as well as leaves of the Laurel to savour the rabbit meat cooked in wine, were readily available. Our national dish found its origin here. Folk singing or G˙ana, as well as equine races were also highlights of these gatherings. The Bandu or announcement of the holding of the feast- related equine races and of the main rules of the races, used to be announced by the town crier in Mdina and Rabat. This custom was eventually entrusted to the Socjeta’ Agrarja after the Knights left Malta, and is still held to this day at Mdina and Rabat – and since the year 2000, also in Valletta- on the last Saturday before the 28th June. The Imnarja took a larger dimension when in 1854, the British Governor, Sir William Reid authorized the Soçjeta’ Agrarja , which was established in 1844 and pre dates the Department of Agriculture, to hold its annual agricultural show in Buskett to coincide with the popular feast of St Peter and St Paul, as hitherto its shows used to be held in Valletta or in Floriana. Such was the popularity of this feast and the rural gathering, that it was common for the groom to bind himself, in the matrimonial contract, to take his bride to this feast. Thus the traditional agricultural show at Buskett supported by stalls offering traditional food, including the national dish Fenkata –a rabbit meat based dish, as we know it today, came into being. In the evening equine races are held in Rabat, below Saqqajja Hill. Palji or banners, very similar to the ones awarded in equine races in Siena, are awarded to winners of these races. Within living memory, it was a sight, seeing in the evening, streaming down in groups from Saqqajja towards the villages before sunset. The horse drawn carts, cabs [Karrozzini ] and carriages , decorated for the occasion and carrying whole families, many of whom proudly carrying the palji and trophies, while towing cattle and equines. Mnarja 2016 is being organised by the Rural Festivities Unit within the Parliamentary Secretariat for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights with the collaboration of the Arts Council and the Agrarian Society
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Programme
Tuesday 28th June from 17:00 till 01:00: Exhibition of old and new machinery and carts Traditional crafts. Band Marches Fruit and Vegetables Exhibition. There will also be an artistic section (sculpture and visual arts) made from fruit and/or vegetables and another section for extraordinary fruit and vegetables Traditional music and stage shows. Apart from the main area, there will be folk music in different areas around Buskett. Artisans: Traditional Crafts will be on display and also one can also admire the local craftsmanship. Kids Area with traditional Maltese games Gymkhana for kids Re-enactment of Mnarja 14th Century Carts and cabs parade from Saqqajja to Buskett Information stands Maltese Traditional Fair Traditional food and sweets Wednesday 29th June from 06:00 till 14:00: Exhibition of old and new machinery and carts Exhibition and competition of goats, sheep, cows, pigs, horses, rabbits, fancy poultry, and various breeds of typically Maltese dogs. Milking of Sheep and goats using the traditional way. Demonstration of: How to sheer sheep in the traditional way. Making of ricotta the traditional way. Soft Nougat (Qubbajt) Fruit and Vegetables Exhibition and Competition. There will also be an artistic section (sculpture and visual arts) made from fruit and/or vegetables and another section for extraordinary fruit and vegetables Artisans: Traditional Crafts will be on display and also one can also admire the local craftsmanship. Kids Area with traditional Maltese games Traditional music Guided tours at Winery outside Buskett. Informative talks on various subjects related to agriculture at ir-Razzett tal-G˙orof Information stands Maltese Traditional Fair Traditional food and sweets Presentation of the prizes of all the competitions by HE President of Malta Ms. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.
Image: Animals display. © Rural Development Department.
Image: Traditional agricultural tools and equipment. © Rural Development Department.
Images: Displays of local agricultural products. © IMPACT PR.
Image: The Bandu, Rabat . © Rural Development Department.
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Valletta Pageant Of The Seas A Spectacle In The Grand Harbour
Images: Top: The beauty of Grand Harbour and Right: the Fernandes © Valletta 2018 Foundation.
The 7th of June will see the birth of an important date on the Maltese Calendar. The Valletta 2018 Foundation, is introducing a spectacular event, aptly named, The Valletta Pageant of the Seas, to coincide with the celebrations of the city's 450th anniversary. The Grand Harbour will be closed to all traffic between 17:30 and 21:00 on the 7th June, which is a Public Holiday in Malta. The triangular area between Vittoriosa, Senglea and the old Customs House in Valletta, will become the stage for an unprecedented show, open for all to enjoy from the surrounding shores. The Grand Harbour offers one of the most spectacular maritime backdrops on the island. With this in mind, a team of artists, contractors, maritime workers and suppliers have been hard at work devising what promises to be an experience not to be missed. Apart from a spectacle in and around the harbour's bastions, the public will be encouraged to take part by volunteering to swim from St Angelo to the other side in commemoration of the Maltese folklore hero Toni Bajada, in the Għawma Toni Bajada slated to open the Pageant. There is a minimum registration fee of €10 for every swimmer. All proceeds go to the charity Puttinu Cares. While the swimmers huff and puff their way to the other side, another race, Tellieqa Telliqun, starts from Senglea to Valletta. The contestants are teams who have pledged to build a raft and wade across without the use of hand held oars and/or outboard motors. A relay regatta will fill in the space between the two races while a Guggenheim band will blare encouragement on a barge anchored in the middle of the "stage". All this is to be followed by a show of sails around a massive Maltese flag on Captain Morgan's Fernandes. The winning Carnival floats will make a reappearance on the water fully decked out as they were during Carnival last February. Once nightfall sets in, the UK outdoor events company, Walk the Plank will turn the same Fernandes into a maritime show piece designed especially for the occasion followed by a special highlight for the night. Various bands will be dispersed along the shores to fill in the short periods between acts. This is a superlative family affair not to be missed. See you all on the bastions, around the shores of Valletta, Vittoriosa and Senglea on the 7th of June. The event opens at 18:00.
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3600 BC
750 BC
The Temple Builders Die Tempelbauer Les constructeurs des temples I costruttori di Templi
218 BC The Romans Römer Les Romains I Romani
The Phoenicians Die Phönizier Les Phéniciens I Fenici
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MILESTONES MEILENSTEINE ÉTAPE IMPORTANTE PIETRA MILIARE
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60 AD
870 AD
Christianity Christentum Le Christianisme Il Cristianesimo
1090 AD
The Arabs Die Araber Les Arabes Gli Arabi
The Norman Conquest Die normannische Eroberung La conquête normande La Conquista normanna
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1565 AD
1530 AD
1798 AD
The Great Siege Die Große Belagerung Le Grand Siège Il Grande Assedio
The Knights of St. John Die Johanniterritter Les Chevaliers de St. Jean I Cavalieri di San Giovanni
1800 AD
1974 AD
Republic Republik La république La Repubblica
* Image:Heritage Malta • Bild: Heritage Malta • Image:Heritage Malta • Foto:Heritage Malta
The French period Die französische Periode La période française Il periodo francese
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Arrival of the British Ankunft der Briten L’arrivée des anglais L’arrivo degli inglesi
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1940 AD
World War II Zweiter Weltkrieg La deuxième guerre mondiale La Seconda Guerra Mondiale
2004 AD
EU Accession EU-Mitgliedschaft L’accès à l’UE L’accesso all’UE
1964 AD
Independence Unabhängigkeit L’indépendance L’Indipendenza
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08:31