valletta18 The Malta Independent on Sunday 15 July 2018
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AT HOME IN THE CITY After living in several places in Malta, Rose has made her home in Valletta. What attracted her to the city and what makes it special for her.
hat were your first connections with Valletta and why have you chosen to live in the city? When I was a child in the sixties Valletta was where one went for everything. We lived in Guardamangia so it was close and easy to access; besides my mother had lived there till her marriage.
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How has Valletta changed in the time you have known it? Valletta residents have been leaving and living elsewhere for many years. It was a neglected city with many derelict buildings, rents were cheap. Nonetheless, people still left. Now that it is once again the elegant city that it was always meant to be, it is of course attracting more and more people and the demand is great, as has happened to all other European cities. I must admit I always had a soft spot for Valletta and would have lived in the city even in years past.
what do you think attracts people to Valletta and what
does it have to offer its residents? I should say it offers plenty for residents the fact that it’s flourishing means jobs for starters not to mention entertainment and property owners. Even the most modest are being enriched.
And what spots in the city do you especially like to be in?
would you change if you could?
I love Republic Street full of people and Merchant Street, one of the most beautiful streets in the city. A favourite, is a walk all round the seafront and when that is done one can get the lift up, therefore no hills at all. Upper Barraka is of course a unique location.
I would like to see even more restoration and maybe I’ll be lucky enough to see it all renovated.
Valletta has had a lot of attention this
year and undergone many changes. What are your hopes for the city and everyone who lives and works there? An even busier city, all shops open seven days a week and activities happening even on the lower parts, where there’s a larger residential hub. Once those areas are done up everyone will realise how beautiful the whole of Valletta is.
CHURCHES and CHAPELS In a city full of bustling businesses and crowded with locals and visitors alike, it’s easy to be drawn to the tranquility of the many peaceful chapels hidden away in the side streets
t John’s Cathedral, St Paul’s Shipwreck and St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral are three well known examples of the 28, or thereabouts, churches in Valletta. But here we wander through the shaded, narrow streets, or pause at their junctions to discover some smaller but equally valued churches and chapels. In its own way each is a testament to
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several centuries of Malta’s faith and spirituality. In 1570, four years after the construction of Valletta began, the Church of St Lucy was built. On the corner of St Lucy Street, opposite the church is a statue of St Francis de Paulo, to who the church was originally dedicated. When the first Dominicans came over to Valletta from Vittoriosa, they administered the sacraments from this church while waiting for their church to be built. Later the church was rebuilt, with funds provided by Valletta’s wine merchants. It was then dedicated to St Lucy and St Vincent Ferrer, a Dominican friar renowned for his missionary work. Within the church a titular painting of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Paul, Saint Lucy, Saint Vincent Ferrer and Saint Claire hangs over the high altar. Below, lies the corpse of St Lucian the Martyr, which was brought there from Rome. Two side alters are dedicated to St
Basilica of Our Lady of Safe Haven and St Dominic
Church of St Lucy
Church of Saint Nicholas
Francis of Paola and St Paschal Baylon, a lay brother in the Franciscan Order. One of Valletta’s three parish churches is the beautifully named Basilica of Our Lady of Safe Haven and St Dominic. The Dominican Order‘s convent is right behind the church. It was Grand Master Pierre de Monte who gave the Order the land on which both the church and convent are built. And one of Valletta’s architects, Girolamo Cassar, was appointed to draw up the plans. Pope Pius V, who was seen as a benefactor of the construction of Valletta, established the Parish by a decree, on 2 July 1571, less than three months after the foundation stone was laid. Its dedication to Our Lady of Safe Haven came about because a great many sailors would go to the small chapel built by the Dominicans before the larger one, to thank the Mother of God for a safe return from long and dangerous sea voyages. The parish of St Dominic also became the city’s principal parish church. But, in 1780, the church was
pronounced unsafe, as a result of earthquakes and severe storms, and closed. A new church was built on the same site, about 25 years later. The following year it became a minor basilica and it was eventually consecrated on 15 October 1889. The fascinating Church of Saint Nicholas, was built in 1569, as a Greek Orthodox Church and dedicated to St Nicholas. But in 1639, Papas Giovanni Metaxi, the parish priest, decided to break from the Orthodox Church and join the Greek Catholic Church whereupon he conceded the church to the Confraternity of the Souls in Purgatory. In 1652, the confraternity rebuilt the church in the then highly fashionable Baroque style. Centuries later, in 2014, the church was returned to the Greek Catholics, and today it holds services for both Serbian Orthodox and Roman Catholic church members. The church was so bombed heavily in World War II that the façade had to be completely rebuilt. However, a small, precious picture was retrieved from the ruins, totally undamaged. Inside the church has a Greek cross plan. A central dome over the crossing is supported by four free-standing columns. There is a choir within the apse, a small sacristy and a single bell tower at the back of the building. Fittingly, considering the different denominations who worship there, this church is also known as the. The final church is on Valletta Waterfront, which is technically in Floriana. The Church of the
Church of the Flight into Egypt
Flight into Egypt was built in the 18th-century in a baroque design, said to be by Andrea Belli. Its purpose was to provide for the spiritual needs of the workers at the Pinto Stores, and it was regularly used by sailors coming and going through Although it is only a small church, it has the characteristics of a bigger church, including two bell towers and a cupola. Inside the walls display beautiful sculptures and above the high altar a titular painting illustrates, with great narrative detail, the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt; a touching reminder of how closely the Son of God is connected to the plight of today’s refugees. Also worth noting is the inscription over the main door: Aeterna Patris Figlio Matri Semper Vergini, Nec Non Putativo Patris In Aegypto Tutatis in Humilimae Servitutis Titulum. MDCCLII, the date the church was dedicated. As is to be expected, given its vulnerable position, the church was bombed during World War II. In 1989 it was restored, but it remained unconsecrated until it was opened again, as a fitting part of the Valletta Waterfront area, in 2006.
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Signs in the
CITY On buildings, street corners and shop windows, Valletta's character is mapped out by its signage
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rying to find your whereabouts is often not easy; street names are hardly ever written at crossroads, and directions are often obscured by temporary posters. And many people would like a few hints as to how many metres away their destination is from one end of town to the other. But the few old signs that remain to indicate retailers and products give a graphic impression of the city as it was, and an attractive contrast with the garish names and notices that were erected before it was wisely decided to preserve and protect such characteristic signs. In fact today we can find signs still in place on buildings although they now irrelevant, because of what they are – an attractive feature, a talking point, a
TWO GENTLEMEN O The houses pictured, in this feature, both subjects for preservation and restoration were once the homes of two very noteworthy citizens The house where Manuel Dimech was born in St. John's Street Valletta
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he elder, Manuel Dimech, was born on Christmas Day, 1860, into a very impoverished, illiterate household; the single room in which his family lived was one in a comparatively small block housing 60 people. And yet he became a philosopher, poet, novelist and journalist; and a prominent social reformist. But his was not an auspicious start in life. His father’s family were genuine artistic sculptors, but the family had fallen on hard times by the time Dimech was born. While still a child he moved to Qormi and then Msida. But his father’s efforts to support his family, while fighting ill health, took its toll. Thirteen-year-old Dimech’s father died at the age of 37, leaving a wife and 10 children. Two weeks later Dimech began what can only be described as a life of crime. For his first offence of petty theft he was locked up for two days, which was not enough of a deterrent. The experience did not prevent him from delving deeper into a life of crime. Nine prison terms followed; mostly for various types of theft. But when he was 17, he was convicted of involuntary murder, manslaughter, and jailed for over 12 years. This was followed by seven years for trading forged money. By the time he was 36, one year younger than his father was when he died, Dimech had spent 20 years in prison. However, to his credit he took the chance prison offered him to study, throwing himself into literacy and the arts. He realised he had a gift for languages, and studied Maltese, English, Italian and French to such a high standard that he eventually earned a living teaching them. He also had a less academic experience. His last sentence was spent while one Marquis Giorgio Barbaro was the Prison Commissioner. By all accounts this man was a psychopath who tortured, persecuted and caused the death of several defenceless prisoners, making their lives terrifying. But, by witnessing all this, and influenced by the reading he had been doing, Dimech had developed a powerful and courageous personality and a keen interest in politics; not the parochial, argumentative issues, but as a way reforming society so that the poor and disadvantaged could have a fitting place within a free state. He began publishing his writings, which also
included novels, poetry, English, French and Italian grammar text books and a weekly paper in Maltese, IlBandiera tal-Maltin with which to highlight the incidence of oppression in the British colony that Malta was then, and through the powers of the Catholic Church. But, the main reason for these publications was to form a political group, especially of young men and women who would not otherwise be able to acquire an education He suggested mass education in Malta, and regarded the Maltese language as a useful tool for emancipation. And he talked of ways for the country to become an economically self-sufficient independent republic. In 1890, Dimech visited Tunis, and in 1903 spent three weeks in Montenegro to experience the country’s social and political state. In Italy, he travelled to Milan and Genoa and spent almost four years in Turin, where he became acquainted with trade unions and the prevailing Church-State relationship there. Eight years later he returned, fired up to work for the social changes he dreamt of. He started Ix-Xirka ta’ l-Imdawlin, The League of the Enlightened. The organisation encompassed the fight for workers’ rights and was a social club, an adult education centre and a political party. Dimech hoped it would give him a say and influence political, social and even religious issues. He attracted the young and those wanting change flocked to him, and they came from all walks of life. But he was before is time. The powers that were, were not on side. The Church condemned , Il-Bandiera tal-Maltin and Ix-Xirka ta’ l-Imdawlin then excommunicated Dimech, who fought back however he could. From 1911-12 he and his family were persecuted, until eventually the Church called a truce. Dimech reformed his organisation as Ix-Xirka talMaltin. But, unnerved by the support Dimech had from the Royal shipyards, the British government also began to see him as a threat to its interests and set out to put a stop to his influence. As World War I began he was deported to Sicily, which at that time was neutral, accused of spying for Germany. There he was again arrested and asked to leave for a country of is choice, anywhere but Malta. He chose Egypt, which was then a British protectorate. But after a third arrest he ended up imprisoned in Cairo and Alexandria. At one time the British regarded Dimech as a prisoner of war. And when the war ended in 1918,
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simple, charming reminder of the city's heritage. Valletta is small enough to enjoy original features, be they imposing buildings, intriguing entrances, stepped streets or simple signals as to who lived and worked in the capital city. And the impression we can get by exploring the side streets and parks is one of a loved,
intimate home town where small businesses traded as much for the residents as any visitors. In comparatively few years Valletta has, hardly surprisingly, changed considerably. It has grown up and joined the big cities of Europe. Where it will go from there depends on whether we can all remember what
was once the best of the city as a home, and that individuality and originality are what distinguishes cities from one another making those who live there value their luck and visitors returning . Follow the signs and think of the messages they are subconsciously giving; they say even more than just what meets the eye.
F VALLETTA there were several repeated calls for his return to Malta, some by eminent British serving officers and government officials, including Winston Churchill. But the British colonial government in Malta refused to allow it. Dimech’s health suffered under prison conditions and despite being transferred to hospital he died on April 17, 1921, and was buried in Alexandria’s Victoria College grounds, in an unmarked grave that has never been found. A few of Dimech’s followers had continued their activities after his deportation, organising strikes and rioting. They were involved in the 7 June, 1919 riots, which eventually led to Malta being granted selfgovernment. But persistent harassment and persecution by the colonial government for nearly 20 more years made being a Dimechian a public disgrace. They died out and Dimech was forgotten. But in the 1960s and 70s there was a renewed interest in Manuel Dimech. He was held up as an icon for
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he second gentleman, Dr Enrico Mizzi, generally known as Nerik, was born in Valletta on September 20, 1885 and died on December 20, 1950. His legacy is his strong contribution to Maltese national and European identity. His father was Fortunato Mizzi, who founded the Nationalist Movement, and he was educated at the Gozo Seminary, Flores College and the Royal University of Malta where he studied literature and science. Following his graduation in 1906, he read law at the Universities of Rome and Urbino obtained his degree in 1911. In 1915, Mizzi was elected a member of the Comitato Patriottico in the Council of Government from Gozo. But in 1917during his was work towards a liberal Constitution he was arrested at his home and charged, under the Malta Defence Regulations for writings and statements against the British, with sedition. Following a court-martial he received the sentence of a year’s imprisonment with hard labour, the loss of civil rights and the withdrawal of his lawyer’s warrant. But the then Governor, Field Marshal Paul Sanford, commuted this to a severe
socialism. His likeness appeared on coins and a plinth in Castille Square. His academic work received more credit. A biography was written with objectivity and balance, allowing people to see him and his ambitions with less bias. Now, a collection of his aphorisms, and some fables, epitaphs and poems, written in English during his last three years in exile, have been have been published. There are also publications of poems written by Dimech and letters he received while he was in prison. A commemorative plaque marks his birthplace in Valletta; another in Qormi identifies the spot where he was stoned by a mob, and one more plaque close to the Customs house in Valletta marks the spot where Dimech was sent into exile, Quite simply, Manuel Dimech wanted an end to domination, coercion, tyranny and subjugation for all. He stood and fought for most of the policies and rights we take for granted today. But he might just have hoped that we had learned how to use them as selflessly as he would have wished.
censure. His civil rights and warrant were restored at the end of World War I. He continued in politics, being elected Secretary of the National Assembly in 1919, and also later served as a delegate between 1945 and 1947. In 1921 Mizzi formed the PDN, Nationalist Democratic Party, to stand in the elections for Malta’s first responsible Government. He also founded the ECO di Malta e Gozo, the voice of the PDN, and subsequently and founded and edited MALTA, organ of the PN, from1926-40. The PDN party eventually formed a coalition with the UPM, Unione Politica Maltese, creating the Nationalist Party. Between 1924 and 1933 Mizzi held several ministries; Industry and Commerce, Agriculture, Fisheries and Posts and Education. But, in 1940 he was arrested at the Malta Printing Press and, along 47 other Maltese citizens, he was interned for alleged Italian sympathies. Later, in 1942, he was illegally deported to Uganda. He was not repatriated until 1945 when he resumed his seat in the Council of Government. He had led the Partito Nazionalista from 1942-45
Dr Enrico Mizzi died in this house in 1020
and was Leader of the Opposition between 1947and 1950, when he was asked to form a minority government. Only three months later he died, at his residence in Valletta. Nerik Mizzi, the only Prime Minister to die in office, was given a state funeral. Among his many other achievements he was also president of the Societa’ Dante Alighieri and founded the Circolo Giovane Mala. He and his wife, Bice Vassallo, had one son named Fortunato Mizzi, after his grandfather. Ever a modest man he hoped to be remembered and not slandered for party reasons. He was grateful that before people and politics he remained: senza macchia e senza paura – without stain and without fear.
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La Fura Dels Baus performance during the Valletta 2018 opening celebrations
SUCCESSFUL CULTURAL EVENTS
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Minister Bonnici during Il-Festa l-Kbira celebrations
For the past six months, Valletta 2018 has undoubtedly managed to place a very shining spotlight on culture and the arts, bringing together various elements of our culture and attracting huge audiences, which exceeded all expectations, clearly showing that when combining culture with brilliantly executed programming, culture can provide engaging entertainment for all the family. The preparations for Valletta to become Europe’s Capital of Culture have given our country the opportunity to generate considerable cultural, social and economic changes. These have all led to a substantial increase in the engagement of people in the creative sector, both in terms of audience development and career opportunities. During the last six months, we have seen the consolidation of elaborate work which led to the creation of a cultural calendar, the likes of which we have never experienced before on our
Valletta 2018 Opening Ceremony islands. So far more than 317,000 have attended around 200 events organised in the first half of the year, with more than 1,500 local artists and 166 international artists participating in various performances and projects. Valletta 2018 has also left a positive impact on employment and economic generation, a clear sign that this sector is showing steady growth. This was clearly indicated from a survey targeting the Capital of Culture activities carried out by the National Statistics Office, the Malta Tourism Authority and Jobsplus during the past months. When looking closely to the figures is was very evident that the New Year’s Eve celebrations and the Opening events have managed to attract the highest number of visitors to Valletta, with around 70,000 on New
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Valletta 2018 Opening Ceremony
Minister Bonnici during a press conference on results generated by Valletta 2018 Year’s Eve and an astonishing 110,000 during Opening Week. It was also very pleasant to note that il-Festa l-Kbira saw an attendance of 40,000 people clearly indicating the popularity of our traditions whist another 30,000 visited the Valletta Green Festival in May. The second edition of the Valletta Pageant of the Seas was another success with over 50,000 people enjoying the spectacle in the Grand Harbour. To date, more than 9,400 people have also visited Valletta 2018’s major visual arts exhibition, Dal-Baħar Madwarha. An essential factor in the programme of events for Valletta 2018 is definitely that this celebration is to be felt all around the islands, whilst engaging different cohorts of our community. Numerous initiatives were aimed at younger generations – a
necessary feat which aims to introduce culture and the arts at an early stage in life. During the past six months, several events for children and young people were held in different areas of the Malta & Gozo. Other community led events turned private homes into public performance spaces. These initiatives aim to bring to the forefront the value culture holds, and how culture has shaped our community and identity. The preparation and the execution of the European Capital of Culture has definitely provided Malta with the best possible opportunity to generate considerable cultural, social and economic changes for Malta and in particular Valletta and the artistic community, raising the profile and visibility of our cultural on a national and international scale.
During Regatta 2018 celebrations, which was part of Il-Festa l-Kbira celebrations
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TRANSPORTS of delight Valletta may be small enough to walk around in a day but not everyone can do that. Seeing the city is not as easy as it should be
he cobbled, streets are awkward; store holders will tell you hardly a day goes by when someone doesn’t trip on the uneven levels. The streets of steps may have worked well for
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the knights in their armour, for whom they were designed, but today they are difficult to use, meaning people prefer to walk on the road. Their surfaces are frequently slippery and in most countries there would be ‘Mind your step’ warning signs at each end. And, of course it is very hilly. A considerable distance must be covered on foot from the bus terminus, or any possible car parking space and back. So is there enough transport in the city? It would appear not. A Valletta circular bus does just that, circles the city. But its times are erratic and it doesn’t solve the problem of getting into the centre. One trip in a taxi is usually enough to put anyone off ever returning. Twenty euros from the harbour to city gate via an unrequested circuit of Floriana? Travel info sites are spreading the word and it is not doing us any favours! And whatever happened to the fleet of cute little white electric cabs which would whisk you up to Castille or down to the Med Con Centre or some such ‘lift’ for 50 cents? They were designed and welcomed originally for commuters,
shoppers and those who found walking difficult as a way to make the city more accessible. They could be picked up like a New York or London cab and were bliss if you were out with an elderly relative or had mobility problems, or were carrying a ton of shopping. Not anymore. They have shrunk to one or two cabs offering timed tours at a substantial sum. A booking system is in place, but if the cars are out who knows how long you’d wait to take one? And do they run at night? No way. In other words, a transport service in Valletta is non-existent. So we look for alternatives Segways are used by the police on patrol, and tourists. They are entertaining, but that’s beside the point. Karozzin: another attraction for tourists although their access to the city is limited and there are only a few around. Some tourists are put off by the inadequate comfort facilities for the horses in the heat, and the ejja ћa mmorru attitude of the drivers, who seem only too keen to take them for a ride in more ways than one. Bicycles are allowed but negotiating streets that are also hills, or full of people or steps, or cars moving haphazardly and pulling in and out of parking spaces without a thought for anyone else is no fun at all. The Valletta Train also aimed at the sightseers and a really good way to travel through the streets and round the city. But you can’t hop off near a gallery or the office from it. So there we have it; or not, actually. If you are at an event, the theatre or cinema, visiting friends, having a meal somewhere in the middle or far end of Valletta a taxi back to you car or the bus is most likely your only option, and that is excessive even for those with an average income. Perish the thought that the city is indifferent about inclusion and access, but it is certainly giving that impression. And this is a pity because everyone knows that when they are hot, tired, cold, and wet, it would be nice not to have to walk so far to reach home or work or a place to relax. It is no use expecting people to embrace all this wonderful city has to offer until the issue of some simple, basic, reliable ways to get round it is sorted.