After years of neglect, the restoration of several public buildings in Valletta is most heartening. There is growing awareness of the importance of preserving the national patrimony, at leastin so far as national monumentsare concerned.
Unfortunately, however, the same cannot be said when it comes to the protection of the environment. Most ironically, the major culprit here is the government, which should lead by example.
One organisation that is doing a great deal in the protection of the island’s heritage is Din l-Art Ħelwa. Had it not been for its work, and, among others, for that of another organisation, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, which equally deserves the country’s gratitude, many of the jewels in stone might have been lost forever.
Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna is at present restoring the wartime tunnels in Valletta but they have come up against a problem: seepage of water from the irrigation of flowers at the Upper Barrakka Gardens. The foundation’s chairman, Mario Farrugia, a leader par excellence in the preservation of the national heritage for many years, said the problem was holding them back from finishing the restoration, which has been going on since 2009.
Both the foundation and the government are doing their best to resolve the problem so that the tunnels will be opened to the public by summer. The tunnels, which had been abandoned, were handed over to the foundation seven years ago and the restoration, programme partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund, has so far cost €1.7 million.
The money has gone into the restoration of the interior of the tunnels, the St Peter and St Paul counterguard interior and adjoining tunnels, the whole of the Saluting Battery, including the new eight replica cannon costing some €50,000 on their own, and the Garrison church crypt and its conversion into a new museum space.
Hopefully, the foundation and the government will now be able to solve the remaining seepage problems without touching the garden.
The Upper Barrakka Garden, with the restored Saluting Battery, is a major tourist attraction as it overlooks Grand Harbour.
Elsewhere in Valletta, much needed restoration work is being done on the most beautiful façade of the Auberge d’Italie, which is planned to house the national fine arts museum, and on that of St John’s co-Cathedral, jewel in the crown of the city.
When these and other works are completed, a good start will have been given to the renaissance of Valletta, in time for when, in 2018, the city hosts the title of a European Capital of Culture.
The city has already improved a lot, particularly since the refurbishment of the palace square; the restoration of the façade and balconies of the palace, and, of course, the completion of the Parliament building and the new city gate. The elegance of the place is now only marred by the horrendous sight of the stalls just outside city gate and the ghastly-looking kiosks surrounding the upper part of the bus terminus.
Castille Place, too, is looking much better than before. The only flaws are the unprofessional way the majestic building’s lighting has been done and the incongruous installation of the ‘knot’ art work right in front of the main door. This should be removed to a more suitable place. The small water fountain by the side should be relocated too so that the place will look grander.