They came, they saw ...and they built

Some powers came and plundered. Others left their mark in other ways...like the British did in Malta after their arrival in 1800. The colonial architecture in strategic places, especially around the Grand Harbour, were a sign that "the British are here," Samantha Fabry said.

Ms Fabry is the curator of an exhibition on Colonial Architecture put together by Heritage Enterprise at the Fine Arts Museum.

At the exhibition one can see several items from the Heritage Malta collection that are not normally on show, such as sketchbooks and watercolours as well as designs and artists' impressions of various Malta views from times gone by.

"The British brought with them a love for ancient ruins, the introduction of landscaped gardens. The bastions around Valletta were turned into cemeteries for the English. Architectural fashions and trends introduced by the British during this period heavily influenced the development and town planning in Malta in later years," she said.

The establishment of a Romantic movement in England and Germany, which was born in reaction to Baroque and Rococo principles which dominated previous centuries, came to Malta with the British.

Captain Alexander Ball, the first Commissioner for Malta, found the island too dry and within a decade increased greenery and built the naval hospital, at Bighi.

The Naval Bakery, which now houses the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa, was designed by William Scamp, who used engineering principles that revolutionised traditional engineering techniques. Using steam and a conveyor belt system, the bakery churned out 15,000 pounds of bread per day.

The Argotti gardens, designed as a private garden for the Grand Master, were redesigned and turned into a botanical garden.

Under Governor Sir Frederick Ponsomby, a huge neo-classical column that could be seen from afar was erected at Hastings Gardens. This was struck by lightning in 1864, and only the pedestal remains to mark the area. A watercolour in the exhibition shows what this column looked like at the time.

Two lectures will be held to complement the exhibition. On Saturday, Malcolm Borg will give a lecture on site at the Lower Barrakka Gardens, in Valletta, dealing with the development of the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens.

The lecture will be held between 2 and 3 p.m.

The other lecture will be held on March 8 at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta and will deal with Colonial Architecture In Malta.

The lectures are free but booking is essential for both tours. One can phone 2122 5769 for both lectures.

Parts of the exhibition can also be viewed online at www.heritagenterprise.com .

The exhibition is the forerunner of a book by Dr Borg entitled The City Colonised: The Urbanisation Of the Maltese Islands, which is due to be published later this year.