One World - Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of the Maltese islands (14)
Rubble wall, Giuseppe Calì Street, Lija
The rubble wall in Giuseppe Calì Street, Lija
This rubble wall is over three metres high and is free-standing, built with loose stones and stands by gravity and friction without the use of mortar.
It extends to a length of approximately 48 metres and is separating the gardens of different private properties. The stone blocks of its fabric are of different sizes and proportions, and generally diminish in size in the higher areas of the wall.
The construction of the wall reveals a high level of workmanship in the laying of the stones in order to attain the required height and stability, especially by tapering the faces of the wall inward the higher it gets.
The wall represents a very interesting element of the local vernacular architectural idiom both in terms of the building techniques and also with respect to its high aesthetic qualities and good state of conservation.
This wall was at risk of being partly demolished owing to adjacent development, but through Mepa's positive intervention the wall was scheduled and therefore saved. Mepa scheduled this rubble wall as a Grade 2 element of architectural importance as per Government Notice no. 492/068 in the Government Gazette dated June 6.
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J S Borg
Jun 30th 2009, 21:24
The wall is built at the outskirts of the village. All villages around the island at high rubble walls at the outskirts of the village this was part of the defence system. One could even notice that about one metre down from the top one could see sort of flat corbels almost like the kilep so as to stop the enemy from scaling the wall. I am not a historian or archeologist but I am sure more qualified personnel could enlighten us with more details.
r sammut
Jun 30th 2009, 14:46
Rubble walls build according to long established principles stand for hundreds of years without any use of mortar for reinforcement. The width of such walls tapers from base to top to instil stability. Irregularly shaped stone (discarded for other uses) are placed to correspond on/against each other to bind as a 3 dimensional jigsaw puzzle and form a solid structure.
Among the oldest standing, are walls erected with naturally occurring or quarried rock from the area. Rocks exposed to the existing micro climate are more resistant to erosion, than if brought from other localities!
Apart the time and hard work, one requires skill to erect sturdy walls! If done with care rubble walls are nothing less than living works of art.
One question that is bothering me: is it true that MEPA is requesting the lowering of high rubble walls?