Updated 3.30 p.m; 4.44 p.m. and 7.20 p.m. latest with Din l-Art Helwa statement -

The Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, Anthony Pace, insisted this afternoon that the lower ground floor of Casa Lanfreducci was not a crypt or a burial crypt, and it was only one particular room and not the entire lower ground floor of Casa Lanfreducci which should be excluded from any proposed development.

Reacting to a statement issued by Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar, the Superintendent said that investigations identified a room directly underneath the sacristy of the Church of our Lady of Victory as having originally formed part of the burial crypt of the church.

This room is currently accessed through Casa Lanfreducci’s Lower Ground Floor, to which it does not belong

Mr Pace said it was only this particular room (shaded red on the attached plan), and not the entire lower ground floor of Casa Lanfreducci, should be excluded from any proposed development, and that the access to it from Casa Lanfreducci should be blocked up so that this space could be re-annexed to the Crypt of the church.

Earlier today, FAA said iit welcomed the announcement that investigations carried out by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage have confirmed that that the basement under Casa Lanfreducci in Valletta in fact formed part of the crypt of Our Lady of Victory Church.

It said that this part of the crypt will now be re-integrated with the church and other apertures closed off so that it will not be affected by the Valletta Regeneration Project which, the Superintendent stated, would be able to proceed unhindered without this site.

FAA had raised the alarm when a quantity of bones were found in the basement of Casa Landfreducci. They were thought to belong to the Knights. The basement was to have been used as a changing room as part of the open theatre that will be build on the Opera House ruins.

"This is not the first time that FAA has had to speak up in order to ensure the preservation of the underground treasures of our capital city which possesses a great wealth of architectural treasures beneath its streets and buildings. FAA therefore calls on the authorities to provide sufficient funding and staff to the Superintendence and the Faculty of Architecture to enable them to map out Valletta’s unique underground features and draw up a restoration and rehabilitation plan to preserve and add value to Valletta’s architectural heritage," FAA said.

"One cannot rely on these treasures coming to light accidentally as was the case when FAA revealed the 16th Century architectural features of the basement of Casa Lanfreducci, following which the study of this crypt was passed on to the Superintendence for further investigation and its value as part of the Church of Our Lady of Victory now recognised."

FAA REACTION TO SUPERINTENDENT

In reply to the Superintendent's statement, FAA said it was reassuring to know that strong measures are to be taken to protect the part of the Lanfreducci basement that originally formed part of the crypt, but it was very disappointing that the beautiful architecture of the rest of the basement still ran the risk of being reduced to showers and toilets.

"FAA maintains that projects, especially those in heritage sites, should not be commenced before all the necessary studies are carried out. The NGO calls on the authorities to provide sufficient funding and staff to the Superintendence and the Faculty of Architecture to enable them to map out Valletta’s unique underground features and draw up a restoration and rehabilitation plan to preserve and add value to Valletta’s architectural heritage."

DIN L-ART HELWA SUGGEST USE

Din l-Art Helwa in a statement said it was delighted that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had been able to ascertain the historical origin of the basement of Casa Lanfreducci, and that it had confirmed that one particular space was originally part of the crypt of the Church of Our Lady of Victory.

"If this space, with its marvellous architecture, can indeed be safely and accessibly integrated into the crypt area, and can have the right atmospheric conditions, it could indeed provide the perfect backdrop and extend space for the housing and display of the many precious vestments, treasures and artefacts that form part of the inventory of the Church," Simone Mizzi, Executive President of Din l-Art Helwa said

"‘This would indeed be a very dignified use which would respect its origin and add much grandeur to this first church of Valletta".

Din l-Art Helwa has been working with the Superintendence to list the whole inventory and artistic assets of the church for some time and many actually date back to the time of the Order. There has been no work done since 2004 on the restoration of the Church and it has become extremely urgent to continue with this project to prevent further deterioration of its monumental vault paintings and artistic and historic inventory.