Joint effort to protect early Christian catacombs

An agreement aimed at safeguarding the early Christian catacombs at Ta' Bistra in Mosta, was signed yesterday between the Mosta local council and Heritage Malta.

The three-year agreement will ensure the long-term conservation, upkeep and operation of the site through the establishment of the necessary management and conservation plans.

The project will be divided into phases and Heritage Malta and the council will be investing a substantial amount of money to upgrade the site. This includes €100,000 being acquired through an Interreg IIIA framework programme, which will be invested into the conservation and accessibility of the catacombs.

Heritage Malta, its chairman, Mario Tabone, said, would be working hand in hand with the Mosta council to sustain the initiative.

Under the agreement, a joint committee will be set up to draw up a business plan on the action that needs to be taken.

Development, Dr Tabone said, will be on the basis of strictly scientific criteria and the site will eventually be presented to the public.

Mosta mayor Joe de Martino said the council will be studying the possibility of inviting the private sector to invest in the site.

The site consists of an extensive network of catacombs with individual entrances perforated within the vertical face of the ridge looking northwards towards St Paul's Bay.

They consist of 16 groups of chambers tunnelled next to each other with the first hypogeum being the largest.

The underground cemetery was first unearthed in 1891, and another part of the catacomb network came to light during roadworks in February last year.