City Gate demolition gets underway
The final act for the City Gate inaugurated amid much controversy in 1964 started this morning when its demolition got underway.
Pedestrian and vehicular access through and over the gate was closed yesterday and workers then started the process of removing wires and other services attached to the structure. Workers this morning started removing the top front part of the gate and the road surface over the central span of the gate.
The gate - the fourth to occupy the site - will not be replaced, with the Renzo Piano plans instead providing for a gap in the bastions accessed over a narrow bridge over the ditch.
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Mr John Said
May 4th 2011, 13:48
I think that the old city gate did not reflect the beauty of inner Valletta no matter who builth it or designed it.
I am looking forward to see the new entrance, the simpler the better, as Valletta has a lot to offer on the inside and there is no need of a lot of frils on the outside. Relocating the busses and removing the fountain, which in my opinion had nothing to do with all the monumental buildings in our capital city, will give a sense of entering into a special place........VALLETTA!
The bonnus of having no roof on the entrance is that you dont risk getting hit with bird dropings!!!!!!!!!!
Can not wait to see it ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr Charles Grima
May 4th 2011, 11:23
It's just a gate! What is there to get so emotional about?
I just used it as a shelter to wait for the girls in my younger age...
There is really no need for a gate in these days of openness...
Ms Maria Vassallo
May 3rd 2011, 18:57
Long live the prophets of doom!
Long live the prophets of gloom!
Long live the political spoil sports!
Long live the politically jealous!
Long live the politically envious!
Long live the maltese gerger!
Mr Michael Buhagiar
May 3rd 2011, 18:10
possibbli kull ma jaghmel il-gvern xejn ma jghogobkom? Kollox negattiv? Dejjem kellu jkun Gvern Nazzjonalista biex iwettaq p[rogetti kbar li ebda gvern qatt ma holom li jidhol ghalihom ghax jibza mill-kritika. Kieku bezghu mill-kritika, l-Kavvallieri ma kienux jaghmlu dak li sar fil-Belt Valletta u madwar Malta kollha. Hallihom lil min irid jikkritika jhazzez il-hmerijiet fil-blogs ghax issa moda. Min qatt m'ghamel xejn ma jaqlax kritika.
Mr G Mangion
May 3rd 2011, 17:42
Flahhar qed naraw dan il - motstru ta bieb il -Kapitali ta l- Belt VALLETTA jitwaqqa u jerga
jaghti il - Gieh lil Belt Kapitali Li tant Jixirqila Proset.
D. Xerri
May 3rd 2011, 17:28
@Ms Maria Vella
the obscenely ugly gate that was not a befitting entrance to the city - As You Mentioned it and I Agree with You 100% was built by the Nationalist Government in the 60s AND NOT by a Labour Govt ! :~)
Now the New Setup which more than half of the Maltese do not agree upon is again going to be built by the Nationalist Govt - With an open-theatre Good for Nothing except a theatre for smokers maybe - and I forgot Malta has a parliament but were gonna build another one just to show that money comes easy for certain matters - and One Last Thing - Is it possible that Malta having talent in every aspect doesnt have talent in creating its own project that is the New Valletta Project with ITS OWN ARCHITECTS so at the end of it all we would say OUR CITY was built by A MALTESE or THE MALTESE instead of a Foreigner.
Mr Guido Farrugia
May 3rd 2011, 19:10
Thanks for informing the uninformed Ms. Vella. In actual fact the original gate PORTA REALE was ruined by the PN to be replaced by a garage entrance. These are facts
Mr Conrad Thake
May 3rd 2011, 21:27
So I presume with this line of argumentation we would have banished all non-Maltese architects who contributed to the creation of Valletta. No buildings by Carapecchia, Blondel, Buonamici ..... and presumably
no city of the Order at all as Laparelli's plans would not have been accepted!
Mr Paul Caruana
May 3rd 2011, 15:36
This is the city gate I grew up with as a little boy when I used to go to valletta with mum, so I look upon its demise not without sorrow. However, I will be the first to admit that it wins no prizes for aesthetics!
I do wonder if 50 years from now, someone else will not be writing to The Times to wistfully bemoan the demolishing and replacement of the Renzo Piano city gate project, despite the fact that, come 2060, there would be universal agreement that the whole Valletta city gate area needs to be replaced...(what where they thinking in 2011!!!)
Mr Joe Micallef
May 3rd 2011, 15:07
IIIIIIIIIi qabisltina demgha perit Alamango!
Mr Malcolm Mifsud
May 3rd 2011, 15:02
Good riddance to bad rubbish
Ms A. Axisa
May 3rd 2011, 14:53
Poor Valletta Gate....it was much better the way it was till yesterday morning...
Now it will be "less nice" (to put it nicely)...looking like two concrete blocks, with less space for pedestrians to pass, and with less access into Valletta.
Ms Nikita Alamango
May 3rd 2011, 14:41
The execution of Valletta ...
Mr mario scerri
May 3rd 2011, 14:55
i agree with you 100%
Mr Guido Farrugia
May 3rd 2011, 15:07
Actually, it was executed when the original gate was demolished by the very same people. Now they're removing the Facist like sort of gate, built during the 60's, maybe, they assume, people will one day forget it ever existed and bury their sins. THAT'LL BE THE DAY
Ms Maria Vella
May 3rd 2011, 15:07
Do you refer to the demolishing of the obscenely ugly gate that was not a befitting entrance to the city (created by labour government I believe) or the new setup (Created by nationalist goverment)
Mr Adrian Borg Cardona
May 3rd 2011, 17:07
@Ms Maria Vella: I find it disgusting that we look at our heritage and architecture through political eyes. Just look at your comment. First of all, the gate being demolished was built on the orders of Giorgio Borg Olivier after an international competition. Secondly, just because this Govt has decided to replace it, sudddenly some people start complaining how ugly the old gate is -when they have never before expressed an opinion. SI have heard similar comments from nationalist diehards about the Opera House. Not a peep out of them for the last century - and suddenyl, when the Piano plans were announced - the Opera House becomes ugly! Please grow up!
Andre Cilia
May 3rd 2011, 14:40
Yey!!!
Gordon Pace
May 3rd 2011, 14:38
Shouldn't this be covered up to avoid dust and noise to the public.. I would expect the government to show a good example..
Mr Anton Borg
May 3rd 2011, 14:36
Finally! excellent work! Just one query: is the stone being receycled? This structure was made of large stone blocks (vazi) which weathered well. It would be a sin to just dispose of them in a landfill.
Ms Maria Vella
May 3rd 2011, 14:29
thank God! Xi' kuha
Tony Fava
May 3rd 2011, 17:38
Xi kruha mibnija mill-partit nazzjonalista. Just for your information. What about the roofless theatre for which the people will be paying millions. I bet that you will put the blame on Joseph Muscat, that is judging from your attitude which does not allow you to see the wood for the trees.
Ms Maria Vella
May 4th 2011, 14:34
I never mentioned Joseph Muscat and I never said I was in favour of the roofless Theatre so don't just jump to conclusions
Mr Victor Laiviera
May 3rd 2011, 14:22
Goodbye City Gate - Hello City Gap.
Mr A Cachia
May 3rd 2011, 16:26
Mind the GAP please ;-)
Mr Joseph Brincat
May 3rd 2011, 14:09
ALTHOUGH I DO NOT AGREE WITH RENZO PIANO's
GAP IN THE BASTION (FOR I THINK THE CITY GATE WOULD BE LIKE IT WAS BEFORE)
BUT I AGREE WITH THE DEMOLITION OF THE CITY GATE WHICH
THE PN HAD DONE
Luca Mondavi
May 3rd 2011, 14:00
And so begins the destruction of our fair city.