Kurt Bugeja Coster
Two weeks to go for new Palace Square
St George's Square, Valletta, will be inaugurated with a grand acrobatic display. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi.
A week-long programme of activities is being drafted to mark the re-opening of the revamped St George's Square in Valletta on December 6.
Works on the historic square, which for years has served as a car park, began about six months ago. Since then, it has been repaved and is being refitted with lamp posts, benches and water jets. Should the need arise, the street furniture can be removed and the fountains covered, while wiring can now be routed through underground tunnels.
The trees and the monument that occupied the lower corner will be relocated elsewhere.
Event coordinator Mathieu Cilia said the highlight of the reopening of St George's Square, or Palace Square, will kick off with an acrobatic exhibition based on the elements of light, water and space on December 6 at 8.45 p.m.
The celebration is being choreographed by Jochen Schweizer, who was also responsible for the celebrations marking the restoration of the Brandenburg Gate and the opening of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the Rockefeller Centre in New York.
Between December 7 and 12, the square will host a variety of activities for the family, including historical re-enactments, concerts, parades, displays and a festival of quality wine on December 11 and 12.
In total, the weeklong programme will involve over 1,000 performers and 400 children.
A detailed programme of the events will be mailed to each household and advertised in the media.
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Galea. L
Nov 24th 2009, 10:02
How about the removal of the TV license, cheating the pensioners by not really giving them the full COLA (only given for 1 year) etc?
Victor Laiviera
Nov 24th 2009, 07:39
@ Ms Michelle Caruana I admire your faith and trust in official utterances though I find it somewhat amusing. Some of us are (perhaps) older and wiser.
Anthony Castillo
Nov 23rd 2009, 19:35
Another promise given.WELL DONE GONZI PN.
C Cassar
Nov 23rd 2009, 18:32
@ Angela Bell: Good point. It would be a great idea if for the week of the opening celebrations the Sliema - Valletta ferry would operate until something like 11pm or midnight on a 30 minute timetable or maybe something a little larger since there will be demand due to the event. Maybe a few of the Captain Morgain boats could chip in as a ferry service that week.
Angela Bell
Nov 23rd 2009, 17:39
Once again a fantastic event is being organised. The reopening of the square should be very good with entertainment for all to enjoy. One big problem occurs and its transport (or lack of it) from Valetta to the North of the island, last bus leaves at 9.30p.m and with most events starting at 9p.m it makes it impossible to attend any evening functions. Lets hope the new transport system will take this into account and provide later buses, even if it is at a higher fare.
Galea. L
Nov 23rd 2009, 13:52
Victor Laiviera
The Government said that it will be erected again near the new parliament, but i think that the reason is what you have said that it was put there by a Labour Government. This is apart from the arrogance of going ahead with an unneeded ugly modern parliament when we cannot afford the expenses and which will destroy the entrance to our capital city.
Michelle Cremona
Nov 23rd 2009, 11:49
@ Victor Laiviera
Sette Giugnio monument will not return to Palace Square
The Sette Giugnio monument will not be reinstated at Palace Square upon the completion of the rehabilitation of the square, a spokesman for the Ministry of Resources has confirmed.
The spokesman said that as previously announced, since the monument was linked to the history of Parliament, it would be incorporated in Renzo Piano's plans for the building of a Parliament House.
The new Parliament House will be built on Freedom Square.
The monument is currently in storage in a government warehouse. It recalls the Maltese bread riots of 1919. As a consequence the British colonial government granted a new constitution and self-government to Malta in 1921, when the first meeting of the Legislative Assembly was held.
Cassar Gerard
Nov 23rd 2009, 10:52
Trumpets and fanfare had announced by Mr. Perit Pullicino that the square will be ready for th visit of the King of Spain. What a characteristic disllusion.
Victor Laiviera
Nov 23rd 2009, 09:58
Still no word about the fate of the Sette Giugno Monument.
- Why was it necessary to remove this fine, artistic and historically important monument from the place for which it was designed? Was it just becasue it was erected by a Labour Government?
- Where is it at present and how is it being cared for?
- Where and when (if ever) will it be erected again?
Is there anybody there?
C Cassar
Nov 23rd 2009, 09:09
It looks like a fantastic job so far. No doubt we'll soon have those that can't stand any change and prefer Valletta to turn into some kind of stagnant museum.
More change for the better like this is desperately needed across all of the Maltese Islands.
Superb job!