Juan Ameen
The jewel in Lija
Villa Francia in Lija, a beautiful jewel hidden behind high walls and an imposing green metal gate, is being restored. Apart from a large number of opulent rooms, the building houses a coach room, a water mill, about 10 fountains and is surrounded by vast gardens. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli.
Behind high walls and an imposing green metal gate, Villa Francia is a beautiful jewel hidden from the rest of the world and seen by a lucky few.
Project architect Claude Borg has dedicated the past three years to restoring it to its former beauty, laying great emphasis on how it looked in the past.
The villa has a coach room, a water mill, about 10 fountains and is surrounded by vast gardens. It has been extensively and lovingly restored in a government project.
For example, all the walls were given a limestone wash, which was used when the villa was originally built, and this will also help prevent further deterioration.
Great thought and care was taken in the laying of the water and electricity supply because the walls and floors of the villa, which is scheduled as Grade 1, could not be touched. In fact, these were passed beneath the floor paving or re-laid in the old trenches cut in the wall. In one particular corridor, Mr Borg had all the tiles removed, passed the services and carefully re-laid the tiles.
The majority of the works were carried out by employees of the Resources Ministry and started in 2006.
The villa, which dates back to the mid-18th century, was known as Villa Preziosi and was the residence of Sir Ugo Mifsud when he was Prime Minister between 1924 and 1927.
It is thought that it was originally built as a one-storey lodge in the mid-18th century, another storey and side wings having been added over the years.
Now government-owned, Villa Francia will be used for official functions or to host foreign delegations.
Villa Francia will be open for public viewing on September 13.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
10 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
S. Cutajar
Sep 1st 2009, 03:53
So proud to be a resident of Lija - our village is a jewel in itself. Let's hope it will be conserved for years to come as as the property prices indicate, Lija is truly the jewel and heart of the Maltese islands.
Adrian Borg Cardona
Aug 31st 2009, 18:26
Beautiful view! I bet the Govt will not build a block of flats for social housing so that the residents can enjoy the view!! Of course, not, those flats can be built across the water from Valletta or on the side of some beautiful valley. This is a house fit for Louis XIV - famous for "L'Etat e moi" fame.
Alexander Morana
Aug 31st 2009, 15:23
Just grand. Beauty, this is what we have to expose internationally.
And not festi, fireworks and noise.
Dylan Olliver
Aug 31st 2009, 15:04
Well done to all concerned. Fantastic job. I am sure that the same team could rebuild the OPERA HOUSE as it was.
Alexander Spiteri
Aug 31st 2009, 14:13
Yes I agree. 'The jewel of Lija. Had the pleasure of having the owner of the villa as a very dear friend. Passed some fantastic weekends for many years at the villa. Have many memorable photos of beautiful parties and lovely settings. Hope they are taking care of the vaulted ceilings and the gazebo. This is the front garden of the villa. I prefer the back one with the fountain. Shame the orange trees have all died.
Karen Zammit Manduca
Aug 31st 2009, 11:03
What a beautiful building and what a worthy initiative. This proves that the Maltese ARE capable of carrying out sensitive restoration of our old, traditional buildings. It is also possible to restore these buildings but reconfigure the inside to serve as apartments, rather than bulldozing them and building concrete matchboxes. This is what is done the world over.
A quick look around the islands will reveal so many more of these buildings that should be treasured.
Gabriel A Pellegrini
Aug 31st 2009, 10:08
This villa was at one time one of hundreds spread across the island....now thanks to MEPA it is one of just a few that remain. Once such beautiful villas and large gardens are destroyed with a stroke of a pen from MEPA we can never have them back.....Sliema for example was once the residence of the Elite....is now being transformed in a slum area...with residents living like sardines in concrete flats....small units with hardly any air to fill your lungs.....This is a fact known to one and all....yet the Rape and Destruction...goes on with the blessing of the mighty Mepa.
L. Dimech
Jun 22nd 2010, 15:58
Gabriel, you're right of course. However, with all due respect to everyone, as long as these concrete lords find sardines to buy their concrete sardine flats (not apartments), then they'll keep playing to the same tune, that's how they become millionaires.
The onus lies fair and square on the shoulders of MEPA - if their officers know what they are doing they should never allow beautiful villas to be transformed into this jungle without imposing that planted areas break the monotony of these horrid buildings.
A case in point is in St. Gregory Street, G'Mangia where some years back a beautiful old villa with a huge garden was cannibalised first by selling the garden for an unsightly block of flats then the original villa was pulled down to be replaced by a big block of cement with garages all around. These are obscenities which must absolutely stop.
Galea. L
Aug 31st 2009, 10:06
Moira Heath
You are right.
The environment rapists also known as property speculators are ruining everywhere with MEPA's help with their matchbox concrete jungle.
Moira Heath
Aug 31st 2009, 09:49
Wow, what a beautiful building and fantastic grounds. With a bit more TLC, this could be an outstanding beauty spot. This is what we need more of in Malta, rather than stupid wedgey concrete apartment blocks.