Special thanks go to Prof. Alexiei Dingli for writing the foreword to my book, and to Francis Micallef, who was of great help while compiling this collection of photographs, and taught me a thing or two along the way.
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Foreword This book is an enthusiastic celebration of Valletta, our Capital City. A 450 year old gem in the middle of the Mediterranean sea. It is also a unique tribute to young Artists; in this case, it is showcasing the works of Xandru Mifsud, an upcoming artist with a lot of talent. In this past decade, Valletta underwent a metamorphosis. What used to be described as a sleeping city is today a vibrant location, which attracts thousands of visitors throughout the day. It also has a bubbling nightlife, which makes it appealing for the younger generation. However Valletta is much more than that. One can experience cultural events in all the corners of the city and thanks to our title of Valletta 2018, the European Capital of Culture; we are noticing an increase in quality events throughout the city. We hope that these events will keep on increasing in the current years and that’s why we are working to reach a momentum, which can be sustained after 2018. In essence, we are preparing the city for the future generations. The works of Xandru Mifsud augurs well and fill us with hope that Valletta will be held in high esteem by the upcoming generations.
Prof. Alexiei Dingli Mayor of Valletta
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Parliament
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Renzo Piano’s Parliament
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During present times, parliament meets in the new Parliament House, designed by Renzo Piano. It is an example of modern day architecture, both on the exterior and the interior, complimenting the latest of projects in the city.
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Squares
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St.George’s Square
Seen here is St.George’s Square, as darkness starts to fall. The square is home to the Grand Master’s Palace, in which parliament was held before Piano’s Parliament was officially opened.
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Republic Square
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Many refer to it as ‘Piazza Regina’, after a statue of Queen Victoria was installed in the 19th century, Republic Square is home to the Bibliotheca, and nowadays houses open air cafe’s, which are popular with tourists visiting the city.
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Castille Square
The recently revamped Castille Square houses Auberge de Castille (pictured right), the Malta Stock Exchange, and the entrance to the St.James Cavalier, as well as a series of commemorative monuments.
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Pjazza Teatru Rjal
An example of modern day architecture, merging the old and the new together, surrounded by churches and the modern Teatru Rjal open air theatre. One finds the Our Lady of Victories church, which was the first church, and building, to be built in the city. (Plaque above commemorates the laying of the foundation stone of this church.)
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Churches
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Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
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The church was rebuilt from 1958 to 1981, after the original structure had suffered damages during World War II. The painting of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, found behind the altar, dates back to the early 17th century.
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Our Lady of Victories Church
The church is both the first church to be built in the city, and the first building to be completed, under the commission of Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette. On the 28th of March 1566, the foundation stone of the church was laid, and thus, the foundation stone of the new city, Valletta.
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(Plaque commemorating the laying of the foundation stone can be seen on page 21)
Basilica of St.Dominic
The church was rebuilt after a the original church suffered damages in the late 1700s. A few months after the opening of the new church, it officially became a ‘minor basilica’. It is dedicated to both St.Dominic, and Our Lady of Fair Heaven.
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Places of Interest
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Strada Stretta
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Strada Stretta (Strait Street, or as it was known, The Gut), is perhaps the most famous street in the city, known for it’s past, full of businesses supporting visiting sailors at the time. Nowadays the street has been revived, and once more has become populated with wine bars and restaurants.
Manoel Theatre
One of the oldest, and perhaps the most beautifully decorated theatres in Valletta, is the Manoel Theatre, which has been in use for well over two-hundred and fifty years. Nowadays it hosts a variety of local and foreign talent in the performing arts, and has been classified as a Grade 1 building.
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D’Amato Records
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Established in 1885, D’Amato Records is one of the oldest shops in Valletta, and the very first record shop to open in Malta. Later on, in the 1930s, D’Amato started making the very first recordings of Maltese music.
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Bibliography
“Our Lady of Victories Church, Valletta”. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Victories_Church,_Valletta). Retrieved: 13th December 2015. “Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta”. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel,_Valletta). Retrieved: 13th December 2015. “Il-Belt Valletta (San Duminku)”. Il-Knisja F’Malta (http://thechurchinmalta.org/mt/posts/1040/valletta-st-dominic). Retrieved: 13th December 2015. “Auberge de Castille”. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auberge_de_Castille). Retrieved: 8th December 2015. “Republic Square, Valletta”. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auberge_de_Castille). Retrieved: 8th December 2015. “D’Amato Records”. Vinyl Hub (http://www.vinylhub.com/shop/9950-DAmato-Records). Retrieved: 5th December 2015. “Manoel Theatre”. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoel_Theatre). Retrieved: 5th December 2015. “Strait Street (Valletta, Malta)”. University of York, Department of Archaeology (https://www.york.ac.uk/archaeology/research/current-projects/strait-street/). Retrieved: 5th December 2015.
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Valletta an everlasting city
Xandru Mifsud