New de Valette Square inaugurated in Valletta
Piazza de Valette, a new square between Zachary Street and the old Opera House in Valletta, was inaugurated this evening.
The square marks the completion of the first phase of the City Gate project, designed by Renzo Piano.
It serves the double purpose of creating an open space, with underground facilities for the new open theatre that will occupy the site of the former Opera House.
The square was inaugurated by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt after an address by Judge Giovanni Bonello about Grand Master Jean de Valette.
In his address Judge Bonello said Grand Master de Valette was a violent man who was arrested twice, but he was also a great man, a leader who persevered when others told him that the Great Siege could not be won, and that Valletta could not be built.
Judge Bonello also stressed that the grand master always signed his name as Jean de Valette, not de La Vallette.
In his remarks Dr Gatt said the prime minister had some of the grand master's attributes in that he was a leader who persevered, as evidenced in this project.
A statue of the grand master occupies the centre of the square on a pedestal formed in the shape of a segment of the Maltese Cross.
The 2.5-metre-high statue was made of silicon bronze by sculptor Joseph Chetcuti and sponsored by Lombard Bank.
De Valette, founder of Valletta, is shown wearing armour and holding the city’s plan in one hand and the sword of victory in the other.
This evening's ceremony also included a lights show.
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32 Comments
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Malcolm Mifsud
Nov 22nd 2012, 13:29
The monument should have been placed higher up to give it more prominence and to keep it way out of reach of probable vandals and La Valette should have been presented in full battle armour, that's how I imagine him at least.
Joe Degiorgio
Nov 23rd 2012, 09:08
He is in fact wearing armour. If you freeze the video at 0:24 you see his forearm is covered with a vambrace (you can see the "rivets" along the arm) and there is what looks like the couter (elbow armour) showing just under the tunic sleeve. What I would have liked to see is more glory in the monument; some broken Turkish banners and armour beneath his feet would have done no harm.
Jurgen Farrugia
Nov 22nd 2012, 12:24
Prosit, valletta is changing rapidly and is becoming kore attractive tomtourists and to us the Maltese. I am proud of Valletta.
Peter Paul Farrugia
Nov 22nd 2012, 07:56
Prosit tassew.... u lil perit Ġlormu Cassar insejnieh ?
Jew il- barrani ghal xi raguni dejjem gie qabel il-Malti ?
Luigi Cassar Manghi
Nov 22nd 2012, 07:39
French genealogy shows that the direct ancestors of Jean de La Valette-Parisot were: Guillot de La Valette-Parisot, Bernard II de La Valette-Parisot, Amalric de La Valette-Parisot, etc. That is how they were known. Should all commemorative plaques by ministers bear their ID names, such as Agostino Pio, in lieu of Austin, Gatt?
Giovanni Bonello
Nov 22nd 2012, 06:23
Grand Master de La Valette never existed. During his lifetime the GM was always known as "Valette" or "de Valette" . I invite anyone to find one single signature of the Grand Master, one coin, one medal, one inscription, one seal, one manuscript, one law, one letter addressed to him in any language WHEN HE WAS ALIVE in which he is referred to as "De la Valette" or as "La Valette".
Victor Laiviera
Nov 22nd 2012, 08:40
The Maltese people have been calling him "La Vallette" for hundreds of years.
This is just a prime example of institutionalised arrogance.
Mr l Azzopardi
Nov 22nd 2012, 14:00
I do agree with historical precision, but language does not base itself on historical documents. It will take much more than a statue with the correct name written on it to change the way people refer to Jean Parisot. As the Swiss linguist de Saussure teaches us, its all about the conventional vs the arbitrary meaning of a linguistic sign. Conventionally we refer to the GM as "la Valette".
Joseph Micallef
Nov 22nd 2012, 04:38
How much was spent on the reception afterwards? If every small part which is going to be completed is going to be officially opened the receptions only are going to cost a fortune.
Caroline Said
Nov 22nd 2012, 01:47
Oh the irony. Hilarious.While they breach a fortified city violating La Valette's vision, they erect a statue in his honour. A Frenchman having his piece de resistance defaced by an Italian. Sorry,I mean modernized.Thats what tourists come to see isnt it.Not an authentic fortified city true to itself. If Valette could speak, bet he'd say: instead of my statue why didnt you erect a Wailing Wall?
M Grima
Nov 22nd 2012, 01:15
"Dr Gatt said the prime minister had some of the grand master's attributes in that he was a leader who persevered"
Thank goodness for that, now we can live in peace!!!
Charles DeMicoli
Nov 22nd 2012, 12:26
Jean de (La) Valette must be turning in his grave, being compared to the destroyer of the city he built.
Joe Grech
Nov 21st 2012, 23:40
From the video provided with the article this certainly looks such a small square....hardly the right place to put De Valette's statue....
The entrance to Valletta is being radically changed but I personally don't think it was a wise decision to build the two Parliamentary Blocks on the site. But P.M. Gonzi decided to do that despite people's protests! Another of his many big mistakes....
Andrew Borg
Nov 21st 2012, 23:09
the commemoration stone on the right is almost as big as the statue - the square could have done without it!
A Spiteri
Nov 21st 2012, 23:07
not impressed...at all!
la vallette deserved a more prominent position.
demolishing those socialist flats to have a huge square at the entrance of valletta. and la vallette just in the middle!
Victor Laiviera
Nov 22nd 2012, 08:45
We DID have "a huge square at the entrance of Valletta" - don't you remember?
It was replace by a totally unnecessary Parliament on Stilts (aka Gonzi's Folly).
Ms.D. Galea
Nov 21st 2012, 22:48
Finally , old Jean gets his due.
Better late then never I guess.
James Dewar
Nov 22nd 2012, 12:23
In time will the same sentiment be allocated to old "Arriva"??
Victor Laiviera
Nov 21st 2012, 21:47
I am glad to note that the statue came complete with a head - unlike the bastions of La Vallette's (not De Valette, for Pete's sake!) which have been left without a Main Gate.
Anthony Mizzi
Nov 21st 2012, 21:11
What's important is that PJAZZA HELSIEN is no more and the Sette Giunjo monument put aside into oblivion!
Mario Pandolfino
Nov 21st 2012, 20:48
Dejjem bi progetti godda li jkomplu issebhu lil malta u ghawdex.
C Calafato
Nov 21st 2012, 20:44
When Valletta was ruined with the new monster which does not conform with the Baroque style planned by the grandmasters, a statue was inaugurated to commemorate La Vallette. Too little too late i guess.
mario dalli
Nov 21st 2012, 20:34
Grazzi Onor Austin Gatt
Joseph Borg
Nov 21st 2012, 19:31
Why De Valette and not De La valette. Is there any reason
Mr Stefan Kottmann-Soler
Nov 21st 2012, 20:57
I'm baffled as well.
Steve M. Engerer
Nov 21st 2012, 22:06
Judge Bonello also stressed that the grand master always signed his name as Jean de Valette, not de La Vallette.
Seems like you didn't bother to read the whole article above!!!
Reuben D. Spiteri
Nov 21st 2012, 22:26
I was staring at the video as well. His name was Jean De LA Valette.
Is this intentional? How can you dedicate a square to a historical figure when you don't even spell his name right?
Saviour Sam Agius
Nov 22nd 2012, 00:28
You're wrong. His name was Jean Parisot de Valette. There was no "la" in his name.
C Cassar
Nov 21st 2012, 19:27
Fantastic but now the inevitable moaners will be along who are stuck in the past.
stephen portelli
Nov 21st 2012, 19:27
and dear all at the end you are going all to pay for all this from your own pocket. u jekk jifdal ulied uliedkom. i am assuming that we are going to have a sufficient raise this budget.
Toni Borg
Nov 22nd 2012, 06:59
Xi Piazza bhal din ma nidejjaqx inhallas taxxi ghaliha. Xi balbuljata li ha jkun hemm hdejh il-parlament zejjed. Missom il-parlamet ghamluh it-teartu l-imwaqqa u piazza De Valetta ghamluha fejn gej il-parlament issa. Mhux il-mohh u l-qalb wara il- Belt Valletta poggewh mohbi flok kif tidhol.
Idahkuni imma li inawgurat ha il-prosit min hallas u hareg il-flus fuq wiccu ha jibqa jaqlahha
Carmel Garcia
Nov 22nd 2012, 07:02
Dahhaktna Stephen. Ara veru Malese Gemgem.
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