A copy of the wooden kiosk which was a feature of Sa' Maison for the past century has been produced by workers of the Resources Ministry after the original was destroyed when a car smashed into it.

Architect Carmel Mifsud Borg said that rebuilding the kiosk using old photos, wood and traditional methods took some 900 man hours.

The origins of the kiosk are unknown, but it belonged to the Bianchi Brothers in the 1950s and was sold off in 1994.

A few years ago it was moved a few metres across the road from the traffic island to a site close to the Bocci club but it fell into disuse.

Its fate had appeared sealed when a car smashed into it, and what remained was thrown away, but Pieta' local council a few months ago urged the Resources Ministry to try to create a replica using the old photos.

The traffic island on which the blue-painted kiosk has been built is being turned into a public garden.