The New Barrakka Lift

What’s so special about a lift, I might hear you ask. And, in truth, it is just a lift. But in my mind, it has taken on the aura of a legend. The first Barrakka lift opened its doors to the public in December 1905.

The lift connected the harbour with the city and was a quick and efficient way of getting to Valletta from Lascaris Wharf. In the 1970s the lift was closed down and eventually dismantled. I have a very vague recollection of my father taking me for a ride on the old lift a few months before it was closed. The structure was dismantled in 1983 and all of us that remembered it, however tenuously, talked nostalgically of the lift and its vertiginous trip up and down the fortified walls underneath Upper Barracca Gardens.

With the ever-increasing number of cruise ships berthing at Lascaris Wharf, a decision was taken to re-build a lift in the same place. In December 2012, the new Barrakka lift was inaugurated. The lift is 58 metres high and is connected to the fortifications of Valletta by a bridge. Positioned at the highest point of Valletta, the lift offers a fantastic view of Grand Harbour and the old cities of Bormla, Birgu and Isla.

The view

The lift

At the base (the tunnel leads to the harbour)

Looking up

The original sign from 1905

The quickest link between the harbour and the city has been restored. The legend is reborn.

Location: Barrakka Lift, Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta

Event of the Month: Faith and Humanity – an Exhibition of Paintings by Mattia Preti

Mattia Preti was born in Taverna, a small town in Calabria (Italy) in 1613. He came to Malta in 1659 as a member of the Order of the Knights of St John and died here in 1699. To mark the 400th anniversary since his birth, an exhibition of some of his major works will be held in Valletta. The exhibition will feature paintings on loan from, among others, the Prado (Madrid), the Louvre (Paris), Uffizzi (Florence), Musei Vaticani (Rome) and Museo di Capodimonte (Naples) together with local masterpieces from the National Museum of Fine Arts and various churches. During his lifetime, Preti was a prolific painter and his works adorn many a church and country chapel. The artist’s exuberant style is representative of the late Baroque period. Many consider  the narrative cycle based on the life and martyrdom of St John the Baptist that he painted on the ceiling of St John’s Cathedral in Valletta, to be his crowing glory. Mattia Preti, also known as Il Cavalier Calabrese (the Knight from Calabria), is buried in St John’s Cathedral, Valletta.

A section of the vault of St John’s Cathedral (the pink spots are from my camera)

The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine

Mattia Preti – Faith and Humanity

The Palace State Rooms

Valletta

4 May – 7 July

Open daily from 10.00hrs till 16.00hrs

 

To learn more about this exhibition that is being organised by Heritage Malta go here.

For other events in Malta in May go here.

Snapshots of …Ta’ Bettina Tower (Bettina’s Tower)

On the way to an area of Delimara known as Xrobb l-Ghagin (best pronounced as shrobb lajin), an unpaved country lane forks off to the left. From the road, you can make out the top of Ta’ Bettina Tower. This tower was built in around 1740 by the Dorell family. Located on the grounds that belong to the tower is a chapel dedicated to St Paul’s Shipwreck. Both Ta’ Bettina tower and the chapel are privately owned and are inaccessible to the public.

Can anybody say Rapunzel?

I was half expecting an evil old witch to walk out of the tiny, worn door.

But nobody appeared. Perhaps the handsome prince had already carried Rapunzel off.

Location: Ta’ Bettina Tower, Xrobb l-Ghagin, Delimara

P.S. If you climb up the pine tree situated to the right of this door, you will be able to catch a glimpse of the chapel. Unfortunately, both of my hands were occupied with grasping branches so I could not take a photo of it.

Event Of The Month: Vanity, Profanity and Worship–Jewellery From the Maltese Islands

This exhibition, orgaanised by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, brings together over 500 pieces of jewellery loaned from private and church collections. Most of these pieces have rarely been seen in public. The exhibition will highlight the beliefs, customs and fashion of the people of these islands. Lectures and workshops around this theme will run throughout the exhibition.

In my opinion, a jewellery exhibition is one event which should not be missed.

Vanity, Profanity & Worship

Casino Maltese

Valletta

Open daily up to May 26, 2013

Opening hours: Monday – Sunday: 10am to 6pm

Friday until 9pm

For events at the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity go here.

To see What’s On in Malta in April go here.

Snapshots of … St Elmo Point, Valletta

There’s another aspect to Valletta. Away from the churches, palaces and shops there is the other Valletta – the city of forts and fortified walls, the military marvel designed  by Francesco Laparelli. A few metres away from the entrance to Fort St Elmo, a flight of steps will take you down beneath the city’s massive walls.

There’s evidence here of a deadly conflict; strange passages cut in the rocks; half-hidden staircases and forgotten bridges; strange remnants that everyone has forgotten the reason for; rock-hewn caverns and time-worn walls.

And, of course, rock pools, boats and a wonderful view across the harbour.

Far from the Baroque  marvel, the military origins of Valletta slumber and dream …

Location: St Elmo Point, Valletta

Inside Auberge de Castille

The Auberge de Castille, Leon and Portugal was designed by Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar in 1574. It was remodelled and almost entirely rebuilt in 1741, under the direction of architect Andrea Belli. The auberges, of which there are several, were built to house Knights who had no residence in Malta. Auberge de Castille is, architecturally, considered to be the finest and the most grand. Of particular note is the imposing main staircase.

 

The person in charge of this auberge was the Grand Chancellor of the Order of St John. The Knights of Castille were responsible for the defence of a part of Valletta’s fortifications, known as St Barbara Bastion. Auberge de Castille is situated at the highest point of Valletta and commands a wonderful view of Grand Harbour and of the surrounding towns, villages and distant countryside.

After the Knights of St John left Malta in 1798, Auberge de Castille served as the headquarters of the French occupation forces until 1800. After 1800 it became the British army headquarters. In 1972 Auberge de Castille became the office of the Prime Minister of Malta. It continues to house this office to the present day and it is usually off-limits to the public. These photos were taken during the Christmas period when the auberge was open for an exhibition of paintings of the Nativity.

As a side-note, this Christmas tree is made of hand-blown glass spheres created and assembled by glassblowers from Mdina Glass.

Auberge de Castille, Leon and Portugal

Castille Place

Valletta

 

Snapshots of … Fawwara

I’ve already written about the chapel of Our Lady of Carmel at Fawwara here and about how it seems to be a place lost in time here. Today I just wanted to share the natural beauty of the place with you. The Spring months are beautiful here: wild flowers are plentiful, the weather is mild and the sea is a bright cobalt blue.

In unspoilt places like Fawwara, the beauty seems to be magnified ten-fold. There is a riotous exuberance about the contrasting colours of rock and sky and limestone and flowers; about a silence so profound that you can almost hear the delicate flutter of a butterfly’s wings. For those that want to escape from everything – this  is the perfect refuge.

Location:  Fawwara

From top to bottom: 1. Mediterranean Spring vegetation; 2. more vegetation; 3. a girna; 4. yellow wall rocket; 5 red clover and yellow wall rocket; 6. a clump of crown daisy and a deserted farmhouse; 7. more vegetation; 8. working the fields; 9. girna (from the rear); 10. giant fennel.