Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Maltese islands (64)

Villa Bonici located in Triq Manuel Dimech, Sliema is a typical aristocratic townhouse and grounds originally having numerous entrances, even for the hired help, horse carriages and for farmers who tilled the fields forming part of the grounds.

The property covered an area of over 20,000 square metres which have since been reduced to just over 11,000.

The boundary wall of the grounds overlooking the Strand was arcaded with the entrance composed of giant pilasters rusticated with bands of pebbles and an arch higher than the rest with a pediment bearing an entablature.

One of the arches and part of the balcony survive and are used as a garage. The arches were topped by a running open balcony, a small section of which survies.

The formalised gardens also had a belvedere folly in their middle from which the owner could watch the farmers tilling the gardens and field plots as well as appreciate the views of the harbour and environs.

The gardens are formed of terraces containing both gardens and field plots, a nymphaeum, a stone bridge, formalised paths and a tunnel linking the different sides of the garden beneath the formal paths.

In Triq Sant’ Agatha, the original coach-house entrance survives comprised of twin banded pilasters on either side with both the Testaferrata and Bonici coat of arms.

An application for the restoration of the villa and gardens was submitted to Mepa in September 2010 and is currently being processed.

Mepa scheduled Villa Bonici and its formal gardens as a Grade 2 national monument as per Government notice 1225 dated December 10, 2010.