One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of the Maltese islands (09)
Palazzo Stagno, Stagno Alley, Qormi
Palazzo Stagno
This extensive 16th century palazzo has its main entrance in the narrow Stagno Alley. The palazzo was constructed in 1589 and its façade is very plain while the apertures are surrounded by ornate mouldings. Grotesque heads embellish the lintels supporting the window pediments, each of which is different from the other.
The Palazzo consists of a main building and courtyard, adjacent to which is the main citrus garden occupying what was once a large quarry. A continuous open stone balcony used to surround the courtyard and an elaborate staircase led from this balcony into the main garden. Palazzo Stagno has its own baroque chapel at the upper floor and this is distinguishable by its red cupola from which one has an extensive view of the Island. The roof is reached through a traditional spiral staircase (garigor) having almost a hundred steps. Water lifting apparatus (sienja tal-miexi), still in a relatively good condition, is housed in the annexe to the main building. The annexe also contains the date MDLXXXIX (1589) inscribed in Roman numerals. The north boundary wall of the palazzo is what remains of a very large pigeon loft.
Mepa scheduled Palazzo Stagno and its grounds as a Grade 1 national monument as per Government Notice number 492/068 in the Government Gazette dated June 6, 2006.
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Frans Sammut
Jun 19th 2009, 17:07
I have looked up the link and can confirm what I had written above. Professor Agius himself admits his disappointment at not having been able to find more evidence regarding the Sicilian connexion. Like everybody else the learned professor (a personal friend of mine as well) has to rely on Andalusi Arabic which is by far more documented. I have based my reinterpretation of Caxaro's zagal on Andalusi Arabic which was also the original language of the zagal form fathered by Ibn Qusman, the well-known Neo-Arabic poet.
Frans Sammut
Jun 19th 2009, 17:00
May I thank Mr Farrugia for his hint. I will look it up at once. In the meantime I'ld like to inform Mr Farrugia that Andalusi Arabic and Siculo-Arabic were very similar, almost identical. I keep referring to the former rather than to the latter simply because there is more evidence in the former case. A pity, really, because Ethnically the Maltese seem to descend from the speakers of the latter branch of Neo-Arabic. Palazzo Stagno is also important in this connection. Stagno is a Sicilian Jewish name, as is Caxaro. Both families, which at least in Malta, were among the nobility, evidently of converso origins.
Alfred Farrugia
Jun 18th 2009, 18:43
I have no doubt that Frans knows what he is talking about. Perhaps he could share some of his thoughts concerning what has been written in the following link, given that several students and others tend to look at this site. The list of references is not complete because a page is missing. If he has any strong feelings about what is written, he might also wish to consider whether it would be appropriate for him to contribute another footnote, with the relevant links. http://books.google.com/books?id=jIP9WiIOtKYC&pg=PA64&dq=Siculo-Arabic+Maltese&lr=&as_brr=3&sig=ACfU3U0ANaOtExtwNoXiIbN9koijAKe_9A I believe that it is useful for us who did not have the opportunity to study our own language as deeply as Frans did, to be educated from those who spent so much of their time studying and learning about our language, over and above their contributions to the Maltese literature.
Frans Sammut
Jun 18th 2009, 16:14
Knowing Mr Mario Tabone-Vassallo as a very well-meaning person, I must advise against the superficial approach habitually adopted by those who are genuinely interested in the national language regarding words or phrases of somewhat obscure origin. “Tal-Miexi” and “Tal-Pass” have nothing in common. In this case, the former refers to animals. Cf Classical Arabic: /maashiya/ = “cattle” and Andalusi Arabic (where Maltese stems from) which gives a similar meaning (see: Schiaparelli, C. (1871): Vocabulista in arabico, Florence. Il-Miklem, and I always prefer quoting ESI rather than Aquilina, gives “tħin tal-miexi” as “dqiq li ntaħan bil-bhima (flok bl-idejn) iddawwar il-mitħna.” ESI most times takes us closer to Andalusi Arabic although he may not have been familiar with Neo-Arabic as he was with the Classical. Aquilina seems to have been familiar with neither.
Anthony Slater
Jun 18th 2009, 12:42
Yep, I agree also.
It looks like the umteen comments that were sent regarding lack of photos from the Valletta series have made a difference.
Galea. L
Jun 18th 2009, 12:02
apgrech
Agreed.
Kudos to those who at last took the readers suggestions.
Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Jun 18th 2009, 10:20
sienja tal-miexi=SIENJA TAL-PASS?
apgrech
Jun 18th 2009, 09:55
This series has now become an attractive series to follow since you're including a photo of the structure itself. Thanks and prosit.