Fimbank sponsors preservation of Maglio Garden monuments

Fimbank, the Malta-based specialist trade finance bank, is to sponsor the conservation of the nine monuments in Floriana’s Maglio Garden in a project coordinated by conservation society Din l-Art Ħelwa.

The Maglio Garden, better known as The Mall, dates to the time of Grand Master Lascaris (1636-1657), who had the garden built to serve as a recreational area for the knights. There they would play a game similar to croquet, called ‘palamaglio’, which gave the gardens their name. The gardens were opened to the public during the British period.

The garden features monuments to Sir Luigi Preziosi, Sir Adrian Dingli, Sir Ugo Mifsud, Marquis Joseph Scicluna, Sir Hannibal Scicluna, Dr Filippo Sciberras, Marquis Vincenzo Bugeja, Aloisio Pisani and Giovanni Di Nicolo Pappaffy.

The project, estimated to take between six and nine months, will start as soon as the required permits are in hand.

The Heritage ResCo conservation team, composed of academically trained and experienced conservators Ingrid Ross, James Licari and Frank Chetcuti, the latter two being conservator-restorers and lecturing staff at Heritage Malta, have been entrusted with the conservation-restoration of the monuments.

They are co-ordinating the works with Floriana council and Environmental Landscapes Consortium Ltd. Thanks to the assistance of architect Norbert Gatt, the scaffolding will be provided by the Rehabilitation Projects Office as a further contribution towards this project.

Fimbank president Margrith Lütschg-Emmenegger said following last year’s successful conservation of the Great Siege Monument, the bank was pleased to be able to contribute to safeguarding an important part of Malta’s rich historical heritage.