Yellow House, Birgu

I still remember the time when the exterior of most town-houses would be painted in all sorts of different colours. Nowadays, the trend is to peel off the paint and expose the limestone blocks out of which our houses are built. Since I am not a student of architecture, I won’t go into the merits, or otherwise, of this practice. But let’s just say that in the blazing heat  of the mid-day summer sun, the pastel and rainbow hues were easier on the eyes than stark-white. I am glad to see that the practice of painting the facades of houses has not completely died out. This lemony, hue reminiscent of sorbet, brightens up the whole street.

Location: Birgu, June 2013

The Inquisitor’s Palace

This grand palace in the heart of Birgu was initially built to serve as Law Courts during the Norman domination. The vaulted internal courtyard was built by the Knights of St John in the 1530s. In 1571 the Knights moved the Law Courts to the new city of Valletta. For three years the building remained vacant until the first Inquisitor, Pietro Dusina, took up residence. The Inquisitors remained in residence in this building until the French Occupation in 1798. The current façade was constructed in 1658.

Off of the courtyard is the palace kitchen, which boasts a very well-preserved wood-burning stove. A well in one corner of the room provided water for all the kitchen’s needs.

Also on the ground floor is a small walled garden that was designed by Inquisitor Fabio Chigi in 1634.

An imposing staircase (that I failed to get a photo of but which you can see here) takes you up to the piano nobile, a richly decorated room that runs the entire length of the building; the Inquisitor’s apartments and his private chapel.

Also on this floor is the Tribunal – the place were people were brought for trial after being reported, and sentences were pronounced. A much less grand staircase leads to the prison warden’s room, the torture room and the prisons. Another internal courtyard off of the prisons was used by the prisoners.

A total of sixty-two Inquisitors resided in this building until the last one left, together with the Knights of St John, following their expulsion by Napoleon in 1798. During the two years of French rule the palace was used as the official residence of the commander of the Cottonera district. When the British governed Malta, the palace was first used as a military hospital and then as a mess-house for officers of the army. In 1995 it was converted into a museum of folklore.

The Inquisitor’s Palace is a fascinating place. It served both as the official residence of the Inquisitor and also as an ecclesiastic tribunal and prison. The prisoners’ cells, with occasional graffiti carved into the soft limestone, are, perhaps, the most poignant reminders of this bygone era. Like the town of Birgu in which it is situated, the Inquisitor’s Palace has had a chequered history. But it has withstood the test of time very well and it continues to intrigue those of us with a natural curiosity about our heritage.

A NOTE ABOUT THE INQUISITION IN MALTA

The Maltese Islands fell under the jurisdiction of the Roman Inquisition, and not the more notorious Spanish Inquisition. The Inquisition acted mostly as a watch-dog to guard against heretical beliefs. The majority of sentences were of a spiritual  nature (e.g. fasting and prayer), although physical punishment (like public flogging or rowing on the galleys) was sometimes resorted to. Torture was rarely used and was usually much less severe than methods used by the civil authorities. I do not propose to go into a debate about this sore subject. All I will say is that the Inquisition was a product of its times – an era when almost none of the civil liberties that we take for granted today existed.

Location: The Inquisitor’s Palace, Main Gate Street,  Birgu

Opening Hours
Monday to Sunday: 9.00-17.00
Last admission: 16.30
Closed: 24, 25 & 31 December, 1 January, Good Friday

Malta And The Movies (3): Cutthroat Island (1995)

Cutthroat Island is an action-packed pirate movie that starred Geena Davis, Matthew Modine and Frank Langella and was partially filmed in Malta. It was released in 1995. Although it tanked at the box office it enjoyed modest popularity locally – which is understandable since some of the filming took place here and also because many people were enrolled as extras. Cutthroat Island is a swashbuckling adventure with a female heroine, a motley cast of rogues, a secret island and buried treasure. The plot is not particularly original and the ending is predictable. But is is an entertaining movie to watch if only for the stunts and for catching glimpses of Malta. I have included what I believe to be one of the most memorable scenes.

It was filmed at, what is now, the Birgu Waterfront. Back in the mid-1990s, this part of the harbour was mainly used by fishermen to berth their boats. Did you recognise the two buildings below in the movie clip?

The Old Naval Bakery

The Naval Bakery in Birgu (Vittoriosa) was built by the British in 1845 by British architect and engineer William Scamp on the site of an old covered slipway previously used by the Knights of St John for their fleet. The bakery was an important victualling centre for the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean fleet. After WW2 the building was converted into offices and stores and also housed the Admiralty Constabulary.

In 1992 the Old Naval Bakery was converted into the Malta Maritime Museum. The exhibits at the Maritime Museum chart the sea-faring history of this island and its close relationship with the sea that surrounds us. Relics on exhibit date from ancient times with a vast collection of anchors from the Roam period on display. Other items in the museum include books, cannons, models of ships, navigation instruments, weapons and uniforms with large sections dedicated to the Navy of the Order of St John and the Royal Navy. Perhaps the most famous item on display is the figurehead of HMS Hibernia a ship of the line, launched at Plymouth dockyard in 1804.

She was the flagship of the British Mediterranean fleet from 1816 to 1855 when she became the flagship for the Royal  Navy base in Malta and stationed in Grand Harbour. The ship was sold in 1902 and eventually dismantled. The figurehead was in Portsmouth for several years and then restored and returned to Malta in 1994.

Malta Maritime Museum

Ex-Naval Bakery

Birgu

Ruby Tuesday: Another Post Box

Mail boxes are red here and the older ones bear the insignia of  the British monarch who was on the throne when the mail box was put up. You may read more about this in my post  Red and  Regal. This particular post box bears the insignia of King Edward VII. Edward VII was king between 1901 and 1910, which makes this post box over 100 years old.

I never thought post boxes could be fascinating but these older ones, bearing the royal cyphers, are very intriguing. I must admit that it has become a bit of an obsession to hunt out the very old post boxes and snap some shots. It is a great way of getting back in touch with our past. In reality a post box is just an everyday object which serves an important function but just stop and think of all the letters and messages that have been mailed inside this box. Letters of hope, of love, of encouragement. Letters from loved ones in foreign lands. Happy messages, sad messages. So many secrets in one little  post box.

Photographed in

Main Gate Street

Birgu

This is my entry for this week’s Ruby Tuesday. For more Ruby Tuesday posts visit Mary at Work Of The Poet.

Ruby Tuesday: Red Balconies in Birgu

After a long absence I am back participating in Ruby Tuesday. I hope that by now I have accumulated enough images with red in them to be able to link up to this fun meme on a weekly basis.

For this week’s entry I have chosen a photo of some red balconies in the medieval maritime city* of Birgu (aka Vittoriosa). Balconies, of course, are the quintessential adornments of most of the older houses in the Mediterranean and can be covered or uncovered and made of wood or stone. Covered wooden balconies, like the ones in the photo, are perfect for a spot of eavesdropping, if you are so inclined, and also provide an ideal perch above the street from where you can watch the daily neighborhood drama being enacted. I think that the current fad of painting local balconies in bold reds, greens and blues contrasts well with the honey-coloured limestone that makes up Maltese houses.

Photographed in

Main Gate Street

Birgu

Like any medieval town or village in Malta, Birgu is made up of narrow winding streets flanked on each side by buildings which are 2 to 3 storeys high. Being a harbor town, Birgu has a long history of maritime, mercantile and military activities. Following the heavy bombardment it sustained during WW2, Birgu experienced a sharp decline in its population (which was almost halved when compared to pre-war years). For a large number of years, many of the remaining buildings went in decline and the population continued to dwindle. In the past decade the government, together with a number of private entrepreneurs, started to invest in the area and many of the older buildings are being renovated and restored. A Yacht Marina was built and the buildings and palaces on the waterfront at St Lawrence Wharf have been leased to house restaurants and cafeterias.

I have already written about Birgu another time and you  may read the post here. New readers may also read more about the chequered history of this town at the official portal of the Birgu Local Council.

Major attractions in Birgu include Fort St Angelo, the Maritime Museum (housed in the former Royal Navy Bakery), the church of St Lawrence, the Inquisitor’s Palace, the Couvre Port and the extensive fortifications (to name just a few).

*Please note that the word city here in Malta is used very loosely and does not refer to modern metropolises such as London or New York. In fact, some of our ‘cities’ (like Mdina) are inhabited by not more than 500 people.

For more posts with pops of red, visit Mary at Work of the Poet.

Door Knockers of Malta

There was a time when every door on the island had some form of door knocker. Some were just simple rings but the door knockers of the large houses and palaces were works of art in brass or bronze. Today I am sharing some of my favourites.

While all of them served a practical purpose, looking at these door knockers of yesteryear makes me wonder whether there was some type of competition going on between the house owners as to who would come up with the most elaborate and beautiful door knocker. I will leave it up to each one of you to choose a favourite.

Door knockers were photographed in Birgu and Mdina.

Reflections in the Water

Reflections of some yachts at the Birgu Waterfront Yacht Marina. In the background, the spires of the town of Isla. The illusion of ‘seeing double’ had me transfixed. More Weekend Reflections at Newton Area Photo.

Birgu – Citta Vittoriosa

Birgu is a medieval harbour town on the east coast of the island. Its origins date back to Roman times but the city we know today has gone through a very chequered history which has made it into the place we know today. The name Vittoriosa (victorious) was bestowed on Birgu after it emerged victorious from the siege of 1565. A walk through its street is like walking through a living history book. Like Mdina it is a town of narrow streets, palaces and churches. However, unlike Mdina, which has retreated behind its bastions dreaming of its past, Birgu is a more vibrant city.

When the Knights of St John moved to Malta in 1530 they took up residence in Birgu so as to be close to their galleys and they stayed there until Valletta was built across the harbour in 1566. Birgu also has close ties with the Royal Navy who used the harbour to berth their ships and built their dockyard in the adjoining town of Bormla.

The photos below are just a very small introduction to the many gems that Birgu has to offer. Indeed, like many of the other historical areas on the island, it will take several posts to do justice to the history, architecture and legends of this old maritime town. Let’s say that today’s post is just a short introduction.

The church of St Lawrence, designed by famous  Maltese Baroque architect Lorenzo Gafa.

 

 

The area behind the church.

 

A balcony in Birgu’s main square.

 

The narrow, winding streets leading off of the main square.

 

The Norman house in Birgu.

View out of the window of the Norman house.

 

Entrance to the Birgu waterfront. The arch and the adjacent building was built during the British period.

The Royal Navy bakery, built in 1840, which now houses the Maritime  Museum.