It came to my knowledge (Il-Furjana, April 2018, by Martin Camilleri) that a contention raised doubts about the relationship between Valletta and Floriana. As I shall prove from historical data, Floriana is a completely detached conurbation.
The circular fortifications that Pietro Floriani designed after his arrival from Macerata in 1634 sealed the confines of Floriana like a cocoon. Floriana even boasted of six massive gates that established a keen security. Moreover, St James Ditch, deep and wide, ran across the promontory from north to south isolating Floriana from Valetta. Therefore, any contention is banal and harmful.
It might be the brainchild of some diminutive mind that lacked historical knowledge and educational achievements. Perhaps it was intended to cause dissent and conflict: worst of all if it was meant to gain political mileage. This argument should be enough to put any enemies of Floriana to shame. What follows is a lesson in history. It is aimed to teach and instruct as I did for 48 years.
In 1634, Pietro Paolo Floriani arrived in Malta during the magistracy of Antoine de Paule (1622-1636). He was commissioned to build the defensive fortifications of Valletta. Presumably, Valletta does not appreciate this service. Floriani planned an impenetrable line of bastions that protected Valletta’s bastions. These were crumbling from neglect on the land side.
The Floriana fortifications were an architectural masterpiece. They were the means of protecting the land front of Valletta. These massive bastions were reinforced by ravelins, cavaliers, counter guards and curtains. The works on the fortifications extended over four kilometres. They were named after Floriani.
Floriani’s plans were highly criticised: they were too ambitious and excessively costly. Offended by the strong criticism, Floriani left the island in 1638. Eventually the Council of the Order sanctioned the original design in May 1638.
Unfortunately, Floriana suffered the incompetence of British military architects. They built barracks and other establishments haphazardly. They spoiled the panoramic spacious beauty of Floriana on both the north and south. The Lintorn Barracks obliterated the scenes of Marsamxett and Grand Harbour. These military installations were permanent eyesores.
Of course, the British made these changes with impunity, in the name of military exigencies. Their obsessed blindness with defence deprived Malta of many cultural gems.
The British alterations were detrimental to the design of the fortifications. In the 1970s, parts of the glacis were destroyed to make way for large storage tanks.
British military architects had no vision for culture preservation. Their needs swept away all obstructions. The complete demolition of all the gates was unpardonable.
Nevertheless Floriana still breathes an individual character and a unique atmosphere. Undoubtedly, a number of historical buildings date back to the era of the Knights. It is most unfortunate that its priceless heritage had been subject to vandalism and to carelessness in the name of progress.
The Knights made Floriana a very secure place. They built six massive gates as part of its fortifications. All are extinct except in name. They were St Anne’s Gate, Crucifix Hill Gate, Notre Dame Gate, Polverista Gate and Quarantine Sally Port Gate.
The British made these changes with impunity, in the name of military exigencies
Portes des Bombes consisted of one arch when it was built by Grand Master Perellos in 1721. The second arch was added in 1868.
The area leading to the Bombi underwent more changes. The arches were enlarged to accommodate the tramway on February 25, 1905.
It was Brig. René Jacob de Tigné who in 1716 took up the continuation of the fortifications. He pushed for the construction of the Floriana main gate, St Anne’s Gate. This entrance was designed as a main gateway.
Officially it was the principal gate of Floriana. Indeed, it was the first focal point leading people into Piazza Sant’ Anna with its Vilhena fountain. Then, with arches on both sides, Strada Sant’ Anna ran towards Valletta. The public space of the piazza, the fountain and loggias established the unique character of Floriana.
In 1897, Porta Sant’ Anna was demolished, once again. In time the gap in the curtain wall was widened further, depriving Floriana of St Anne’s Gate, its main entrance.
As with most Maltese military entrances, a religious shrine crowned the inner side of Porta Sant’ Anna. It portrayed the infant Virgin Mary in her mother’s arms. The Order of St John held a particular devotion to St Anne. Two chapels, one at Fort Elmo and one at Fort St Angelo, were dedicated to St Anne.
On February 7, 1673, the Council of the Order decided to build residential accommodation in the open area encircled by Floriani’s fortifications but far from the Valetta fortifications. Hence the Floriana isolation enhanced the characteristic spaciousness. Including the Triton square, the open space stretched to the Biskuttin, the Mall, the granaries, the parade ground and the Argotti Botanic Gardens. Together they created the monumental piazza for Malta.
Portuguese Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena (1722-1736) was another benefactor. He left untouched the open space. He determined that the blocks in between wide roads should follow the grid-iron pattern; that enormous space should mark the bare distance between the Valletta entrance and the nearest line of buildings in Floriana.
By 1766 this area of 20 blocks had already been built. Within these blocks were included 14 tenements called kerrejja.
The Ospizio has served as a geriatric home, as a hospital, as an asylum and as an orphanage even as a prison among other institutions, throughout its long history. The Ospizio, or La Casa di Carità, performed such charitable works.
In 1732, Vilhena turned the Polverista into a welfare institution. He established Floriana as a welfare centre. Towards the middle of the 19th century, the Ospizio was converted into a hospice.
The building was known as Casa D’Industria. In 1850 it was converted into a central hospital. By 1872 the Central Hospital was overcrowded. In 1885 plans were made to build a new hospital to house 354 beds. The project was shelved. The hospital was extensively damaged in May 1941.
Joe Bugeja is a former lecturer at University.