Franco Farrugia, Pietà
City Gate is a bad advert for Valletta
Are we attempting to render this country even more frightfully ugly than it already appears to be? Or are we making ourselves the laughing stock of all who come to visit it?
Who is responsible for allowing those horrendous advertisements hanging over City Gate in Valletta? The place is dirty and shabby enough as it is, without making it worse with those ugly hangings advertising a new mobile service.
Once again, who is responsible for this? Whose permission was sought and eventually given? Who is responsible for Valletta City Gate? Central government? The Valletta local council? How much money was paid for the advertising?
The citizens need answers, and urgently, too.
Advert
Advert
11 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
James Piscopo
Jan 28th 2009, 00:12
Last time I went to Valletta, I could not fail to notice the situation in which the City Gate was in. Large Banners of a Mobile company, christened this building as a 'Commercial Valletta Gate' rather than THE city Gate. Without making references to Companies! During these last months everyone who entered valletta was bombarded by mobile agents trying to sell you great offers. In addition to this, personally the large posters around the entrance of Valletta, which they said it was an Art Exhibition, made Valletta lose its true identity. These three Factors aided the tourists to see OUR capital City in a negative way. However in my opinion, the large banners on the City Gate was one of the major mistakes done into trying to sell our city as an interesting and historical one!
m. southgate
Jan 27th 2009, 22:17
AM I "STRANGE" - I ACTUALLY LIKE CITY GATE, I LIKED IT EVEN MORE WITH THE MARKET THERE.
IT'S A WORKING CITY! GO TO MEDINA IF YOU WANT PRETTY-PRETTY!
J Camilleri Baron
Jan 27th 2009, 21:55
I can;t understand what;s so historical about a thick ugly wall which we are about to pull down.
Frankly, that ugly wall looks better with advertising on it, provided it is done with good taste.
Hopefully My assesment will not apply when Mr Piano completes his job.
JOHN MAHONEY
Jan 27th 2009, 15:01
I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WENT THROUGH MR PIANO'S MIND WHEN HE SAW THE DISASTER THERE IS AT CITY GATE OF COURSE WE ARE OFFENDED WHEN SOME FOREIGNERS COMPARE US TO AFRICAN COUNTRIES. THEN AGAIN ONLY IN MALTA...
William Eccles
Jan 27th 2009, 14:10
The problem with the Maltese they do one job and mess up TWO others in the process. End of story!
Franco Farrugia
Jan 27th 2009, 14:10
@ M. V Pulis - ' That's just it! city gate is neither historical nor is it a building much less is it monumental!' Let's not invent needless arguments and try finding the needle in the haystack, just to prove ourselves right. City Gate itself may not be historical - yet, it is the Entrance to the Capital; so, NO, it does not deserve to be, however temporarily, defaced through the use of those adverts. So, sir, the adverts are NOT 'a blessing in disguise', by any means!
v.pulis
Jan 27th 2009, 11:08
@Kevin Carbonaro
"Any type of advertising on historical buildings, monuments, etc should be banned."
That's just it! city gate is neither historical nor is it a building much less is it monumental!
The adverts are a blessing in disguise in that they are hiding the ugliness of the glorified garage door that passes as a gate to a truly historical, monumental city.
Which brings me to Renzo Piano's plans. The last time Sig. Piano presented his plans for city gate they were nothing but a breach in the bastions spanned by a modern bridge. A concept totally alien to a fortified city. Renzo Piano is working on part of the landfront of Valletta so he must be faithful to the concept of fortifications. Unlike the opera house the gate forms part of the valletta fortifications and any modern structure would look out of place. i write this before Piano's new plans have been revealed so there is still hope.
Raymond Sammut
Jan 27th 2009, 10:52
Valletta is presently telling "a lot of stories" to Piano. Please do not disturb.
Daniel Russell
Jan 27th 2009, 10:49
Mr Farrugia, well said and I fully agree! The area has looked very shabby in the last few years and certainly not up to the standards of a European capital city. The whole area including City Gate and the bus station need to be demolished and redesigned and Mr Piano, while you are on, could you design a new bus station and develop a proper market place for the sunday market in the adjoining ditch.
Advertising on historic sites..... No way!
G Psaila
Jan 27th 2009, 10:14
Whoever is responsible for City Gate and its surroundings is doing a VERY BAD JOB of it ! Wake up authorities!
Kevin Carbonaro
Jan 27th 2009, 09:48
I was just thinking the same thing 2 days ago when I went to Valletta. Where did City Gate disappear?
Who on earth would offer such advertising spaces? Maybe they wish to protect City Gate from Rain and Wind ??? ...or from the birds?
Any type of advertising on historical buildings, monuments, etc should be banned.
Wake up authorities!!! Do something about it!!!!