Birgu Vittoriosa

Cottonera encloses the three cities of Birgu, (also known as Vittoriosa), Bormla, (also known as Cospicua), and Isla, (also known as Senglea).

When the Knights of St. John came from Rhodes to Malta in 1530, they chose Birgu, the as their new headquarters.  The ambience of Birgu underwent great change with the arrival of the Knights of St. John, so much so that it became known as “La Citta Nuova”, the Italian expression for “the New City”.

Together with Bormla and Isla, which are also called Cospicua and Senglea, Birgu forms part of the so-called “Three Cities” and “Cottonera”, a name given after Grandmaster Nicholas Cotoner.

The seal of fortifications were built after the siege of Candia, when the Venetians assisted by the Knights of Malta were defeated by the Turks in 1669.

The Grand Master feared that the Turks encouraged by this success, would then attack Malta.  The project was commissioned to the military architectures Antonio Valperga and Menderico Blondel who designed the curtain of long massive bastions to make the Three Cities of Cottonera impregnable.  The five kilometers fortification consisted of eight bastions, two demi-bastions and seven gates that were strategically positioned to shield the entrance of the cities.  As off today these impressive bastions known as the Cottonera Lines still attracts military scholars from around the globe.

Both Senglea and Vittoriosa are built on peninsulas whose tips are guarded, respectively, by Fort Saint Michael and Fort Saint Angelo. These two forts afford an obvious shield to the city of Cospicua, huddled between Vittoriosa and Senglea.

The geographical layout of Cottonera, with the city of Valletta on the opposite side of the harbour, as well as the other peninsula of Kalkara, enfold what is undoubtedly one of the most amazing natural harbours in the Mediterranean.

The British took up where the Knights left off. They developed the Naval Dockyard, which was previously known by the Knights as La Marina Grande – an irrefutable manifestation of the Knights’ naval accomplishment in Malta. The Dockyard was for many years one of the best in the British Empire. It was also the British sovereigns who oversaw the building of the Bakery on the Vittoriosa waterfront.

In the harrowing times of World War II, Cottonera was reduced to a scene of devastation and casualties were many. Each one of the three cities has its own artistic memorial recalling these innocent victims of war. Many historical buildings were destroyed: in Vittoriosa, the Grand Master’s first Palace, the Church of the Annunciation, and the Clock Tower were all razed to the ground, while in Senglea the Church of Victory suffered the same fate; not to mention numerous houses, auberges and other buildings that were there no no more by the end of the war.

Nowadays, the collegiate churches in these cities are considered as centres of culture, history and art. Moreover, these magnificent places of worship testify to the Christian faith among the people of Cottonera, who erected them and then enhanced them with some stupendous works of art.

Lorenzo Gafa` designed and constructed the church and convent of Sta Scholastica in Birgu in 1679, St Lawrence church (1681-1697) also in Birgu, St Nicholas church in Siggiewi (1676-1693), St Peter Martyr in Marsaxlokk in 1682, the dome of St George in Qormi in 1684, St Mary’s church in Qrendi in 1685, Tal Hlas church Qormi in 1690, St Catherine church in Zejtun in 1692, the famous Cathedral in Mdina in 1697, the Gozo Cathedral dedicated to St Mary in 1697, and Our Lady of Victories in Valletta in 1699.

Pope Urbanus II the Pope on the throne of Rome when Count Roger of Normandy occupied the Maltese islands in 1090 and established Birgu as the first parish for the south of Malta and Mdina for the north.  It is said that in the 16th century before the arrival of the Knights the Spaniards who had great devotion to St.Lawrence donated the statue of St Lawrence to the church. 

As off today, the statue is dressed with the sacred vestments of a deacon of the Roman Church.  St Lawrence was one of seven famous deacons of the early church. The other six deacons along with Pope St. Sixtus II (Xystus II) were captured by the Emperor Valerian on August 6, 258, and martyred.  As librarian and archivist, St.Lawrence was thought to have a list of all the wealth of the church and all the mythical hidden hoards of gold belonging to the Vatican.  Of particular interest to the Roman Emperor were the names of all the Christians who were also Roman nobles, since they could be ransomed for gold by the emperor or executed and their wealth confiscated by the emperor for the state.

St. Lawrence gathered up the all the diseased, orphaned or crippled Christians on the appointed day, brought them to the palace, and told the startled emperor that "These are the treasures of the church!" 

According to tradition, for his presumed impudence,  St.Lawrence was then slowly roasted on a grill on the site of the Basilica di San Lorenzo in Rome, in the hope that he would publicly renounce his religion and reveal the names of the wealthy Christians. The statue of St.Lawrence is therefore holding a gridiron to memorialize the martyrdom of the Saint.

 

The feast of St.Lawrence is held on the 10th August.  It is of great interest to admire the Statue Alb donated by the last Inquisitor of Malta in 1798. 

The Inquisitor Giulio Carpegna donated the Alb to this statue before he left his office.  The Golden threads of the statue's alb blinks in colour of falling showers of meteors or "The Tears of St. Lawrence" as these falls from up the sky to praise St.Lawrence.

 

This interactive cd, guided by audio instructions will help you discover the rich history of this city step by step. You would be discovering many interesting facts about this city. Shot in several key locations this interactive cd reveals the existing attractions within a historical perspective.

Package include: Postage, Interactive DVD and Booklet

Duration:            65 minutes

Languages:          Maltese, English, Italian, Spanish and German

 

We hope you enjoy your tour around the streets of Birgu and that your journey back in time will be brought to life by the historical details about the places and events which make this fascinating little city what it is today.

 

 

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