A guide through MOSTA
Also, I would like to heartily thank my family for their moral support through this final year.
I would like to express my gratitude to my tutors Adolf Formosa and Trudy Kerr who saw me through this project and talked things over; to all those who provided support, read, offered comments, and assisted in the editing, proofreading and design of this editorial.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
table of contents Rotunda of Mosta Valley of Honey Valley and Chapel of Good Hope ‘San Pawl tal-Qlejja’ Chilling at Mosta’s Square Fireworks from the Bridge Victoria Lines Walk Guide Recomandations List to Wine and Dine
The aim for this publication, is to engage the readers with the history of Mosta. This itenarary gives the owner the opportunity to walk along Wied il-Ghasel (The Valley of Honey) while making stopes to some of the chapels that have been standing before the World War I. As for those who are looking to enjoy a different side of Mosta’s culture, can find a list of recomanded sites of interests and also a wide selection of restaurants, bars and wine bars to choose from.
introduction
The first mass to be celebrated in the Rotunda was said on the 26th Febuary of 1860, on the first Sunday of Lent, as it happened, The celebrant in the Rotunda was said Mons. Micheal Angelo Mifsud. This marked the intensive the end of twenty-seven years of intensive toil. It must always be borne in the mind that apart from a few primitve blocks and tackel, and mule power, human brawn and sweat was all that was used in this structure. If one enters the church via either of the two laterial doors, one notes that the ceiling of each vestibule is domeshaped. These domes are worked into the actual stonework and cannot be seen from the outise.
“One can still see, in the sacristy of the Rotunda, the shell of a 1000 Kg. bomb that crashed through the dome in 1942”
mosta rotunda
The name Mosta or Musta is of ancient origin. Some have even claimed it links up with the ledgendary Atlantis. A variety of meanings have been appended to it. These include the “Mysterious Vilage”, the “hidden place” or the more widely accepted “the central place”. Mosta, as a village,never stood much chance of develping until the late 17th century. The main reason was that it wa all too accessible to marauding pirates who could easily make their way to Mosta via Salina or Bahar ic-Caghaq. Standard precaustions included , in those days, easily contact with a fortified place, refuge wihin the extremly stongly, -built farms or, more frequent, refuge behind massive walls and doors of the local paris church. The Rotunda of Mosta was formally blessed on the 16th Febuary, 1860 and dismantaling commenced two days later. Just eight days of intensive work was all that was needed to remove all traces of the old church and one could now see clearly the vast size of the new church.
Mosta’s Square Hope Street
Valley of Honey
Chapel of Hope
It was a dry season, both suffered fruit and for any price-my work? These last few days I tired behind the plow I work in silence the last farmer in the Valley of Honey is I
For snails or flowers thyme from rock in descend in the Valley of Honey visiting on Sundays
Abondend fourth but reserved for gun w hunting dogs during the dove’s season After the plow I work in silence the last farmer in the Valley of Honey is I
Go down in the Valley of Honey those were the days as people come to rest
The son have finished from working in towns, The last farmer in the Valley of Honey is I.
among the trees and bushes gone to earn a living
“Like a hermit away from people,
“
valley of honey
Mosta’s Square Bridge Street
Valley of Honey
Saint Paul’s Hermit Chapel
valley & chapel of good hope The chapel was built between 1760 and 1761 in the Renaissance style with an octagonal interior. The titular of Our Lady of Good Hope is by Rocco Buhagiar (c.1725-1805) while in the sacristy is found another painting of Our Lady of Good Hope, this time by Giuseppe CalĂŹ (1846-1930). Enlargement of the parvis took place in 1898 while the underlying cave was cleaned and renovated in 1913. Ten years later the church and sacristy were paved with marble. The cave, which is as well kept as the chapel itself, contains stone statues of the Archangel Michael, a kneeling maiden praying and the evangelists Luke and John.
Mosta’s Square Hope Street
Valley of Honey
Chapel of Hope
If this church is nice from the outside, it’s even more on the inside. Its roof is made from an old system and made with great precision. Its the best evidence of the artistic capacity of the architect and it’s builders.
‘San PAWL TAL -QLEJGHA’ -QLEJGHA
An Other sweet church to find within the limits of Mosta is the one dedicated to St. Paul, which is exactly half Qlejgħa Valley (Chadwick Lakes). This church for this reason is known as the Qliegħa Paul (or Qlejja). Is sometimes also known as the Minġiba. This church offers one of the most beautiful squares environmental mlewwna between Rabat and Mosta.
The church draws the attention of anyone who is going through these areas because it is cut off from buildings and surrounded only by open countryside. It seems that was built around the year 1690 to replace other more old. Under the pastoral visits of bishops who visited this church, each year was celebrated feast of Conversion of St. Paul. It was also a cemetery where they were buried many people inħawi.Fuq the altar, there was a painting of St. Peter and St. Paul. Over time however, the lack of interest led to the abandonment of this church. Made so long until we see it today was built in the seventeenth century. The church was blessed by Father Ferdinando Casteletti on 9 February of 1695. This church has a wonderful Baroque architecture. Seems to have been built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when this style was in full swing in our islands. The frontispiece of which has a unique style, that there is no other like him in our islands. Instead as usual accustomed to see that this should rise to tip in the central part, in this case rises and falls in the middle sides, to give space to spire. On one side climb two flames on each side of the stone. The spire, which at one time had a bell hung in it, is very nice and is carved into its sides.
Mosta’s Square Main Street ‘San Pawl tal-Qlejja’ ‘San Pawl tal-Qlejja’ Chapel
chilling Chilling at the rotunda Rotunda square After a long walk around the Valley one might be getting hungry. Where ever you are at in Mosta one can easily find it’s way to the Times Square. There are several dinner, restaurants. There are also available small take away shops that sell the mostly know traditional Maltese cheese cake that will go down perfectly with a cup of coffee. For those who are looking for a relaxing after noon they can also visit the winebars that are available in this square. (A list of all the wine bars and restaurants is provided on page 34 and 35)
Eucharistic Congress Street Mosta’s Square
The day is marked by a public holiday and feasts are held in numerous towns and villages in Malta and Gozo to mark the ascent of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Processions are held, with brass bands playing plus firework displays and traditional food stalls selling nougat and ice cream. The day also commemorates the arrival of the Santa Marija convoy during the Second World War, an event which paved the way for the Maltese Islands fight back against possible invasion and occupation. Until the convoy arrived, the Maltese people were close to starvation and surrender, but the small British convoy of fifteen ships that barely made it to Malta brought relief in the form of food, provisions and ammunition. The convoy’s arrival was
One can take a closer look at fireworks that are held during this outdoor feast, by going on the bridge at Constitution Street
fireworks from a bridge
The Feast of Assumption is celebrated across the Maltese Islands on the 15th August every year and is also known as the feast of Santa Marija.
deemed miraculous since all previous attempts resupply Malta had failed. Mosta (or Il-Mosta) is a town situated in the middle of the island of Malta, to the northwest of Valletta. In 2010, it had a reported population of 19,018. Mosta celebrates the feast of the Assumption every 15 August, popular among both the locals and the tourists. The town has many legends such as the Mosta Bride (L-Gharusa tal-Mosta) and a lot of historical places such as the Victoria Lines and medieval chapels. Mosta has its own scouts and girl guides as well as two band clubs (Nicolo’ Isouard and Santa Marija) and two fire works factories that make spectacular fire works. A lot of traffic passes through Constitution Street, one of Mosta’s main streets which connects the South to the North.
Mosta’s Square
Constitution Street Arche’s Bridge
If you are walking along the Victoria Lines Malta route from West to East you will suddenly notice something that you have not heard for a long time. The sound of a lot of traffic. From the peace and quiet of the western side of Malta, you hear a growing noise. It really shows how omnipresent the background noise of cars and commercial life is. Only late at night do you also hear something similar if you live in a town. If you are walking the Victoria Lines Malta route from East to West, from Madliena to Fomm Ir-Rih (Kuncizzjoni) then this is the start of the real countryside of Malta, as soon as you get across the main road leading from Mosta to Mgarr and up to the Dwejra Lines. At the Eastern end of the Dwejra Lines nearly the whole of the North, East and parts of the south of Malta appear into view. You are just under halfway of the walking the Victoria Lines Malta but the route gets (mostly) much easier from now on. Apart from a couple of lung buster climbs across the Wieds (Valleys/Wadi’s) at Ghargur! But as the Victoria Lines Malta are a defensive fortification of walls, trenches and forts built across the Island of Malta you can not just go straight ahead at this point. To carrying on walking the route of the Victoria Lines Malta from Dwejra to Targa Gap (Mosta) you need to go south about 100 yards along the road and through this gap in another part of the wall. Then walk round and leave the tarmac road and go onto the dirt road.
“Maltese fortified defensive walls, built by the British and finished in the year of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee (1897).”
victoria lines walk giude
Walking along the Victoria Lines Malta and the route between the Dwejra Lines to the Falka Gap and then on to the Targa Gap (Mosta) is a short stroll. If you are hiking the route from the Dwejra Lines to the Targa Gap then it is downhill.
recomandations list TO DINE AND WINE
Ir- Razzett L-Ahmar bAR ANd Restaurant Triq Durumblat, Mosta
Horse Shoe Bar and Restaurant Vjal il-Qalbin Mostin, Mosta
Lord Nelson wine bar Triq Il-Kbira, Mosta
Il-Vecchio Forno wine bar Eucharist Congress Street, Mosta
oZ Sofra restaurant Triq il Kostutuzjoni, Mosta
Time Out Restaurant Mosta Road, Mosta
Piazza Cafe restaurant Rotunda Square, Mosta
Ta Maria restaurant Triq il Kostutuzjoni, Mosta
Ta Duminka Restaurant Triq Il-Kbira, Mosta
Premier Passtizeria Rotunda Square, Mosta
The Olympic Dinner Rotunda Square, Mosta
Mellws Dinner Rotunda Square, Mosta
is-City bar Triq Il-Kbira, Mosta
Extra time sports bar and grill Triq Il-Kbira, Mosta
Dimples Bar and Restaurant Pjazza S-Sittax Ta` Settembru, Mosta
Marietta Mifsud Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Graphic Design and Interactive Media 2012-2013
Il-Mosta is situated in the centre of Malta. It is located on a plain and is surrounded by fertile agricultural land. Neighbouring villages and towns include Hal Lija, Burmarrad, ir-Rabat and in-Naxxar. Il-Mosta is found on the main route from il-Belt Valletta to ic-Cirkewwa and experiences daily heavy traffic flows from north to south and vice versa. Il-Mosta is 9 km away from the capital city of Malta, il-Belt Valletta. Il-Mosta is in continuous development, new buildings are erected every day and the business community is quite active and flourishing. The population at about 18,000 inhabitants is one of the highest in the Maltese islands and has been given a boost in the last decades of the twentieth century by the establishment of a number of new housing estates.