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Vittorio Cassar
Vittorio Cassar ( mt, Vitor Cassar, 1550 – 1609), born Gio Vittorio Cassar, was a Maltese architect and military engineer. The son of the renowned architect Girolamo Cassar, he was admitted as a knight within the Order of St. John in 1587. He became the Order's resident engineer in the early 17th century, and he directed the upgrading of the Cittadella of Gozo between 1600 and 1603. Many details about his life are uncertain, including the dates of his birth and death. He is claimed to have designed some of the Wignacourt towers and several churches, but there is no evidence of these attributions. Biography Vittorio Cassar was probably the firstborn son of Girolamo Cassar and his wife Mattea, and he was his father's favourite and principal heir. He is said to have been born in around 1550, but this date is mainly based on speculation. The Cassar family, probably originating from Sicily, had been established in Malta since at least the year 1440. Cassar was admitted as a k ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Birgu
Birgu ( mt, Il-Birgu , it, Vittoriosa), also known by its title Città Vittoriosa ("''Victorious City''"), is an old fortified city on the south side of the Grand Harbour in the South Eastern Region of Malta. The city occupies a promontory of land with Fort Saint Angelo at its head and the city of Cospicua at its base. Birgu is ideally situated for safe anchorage, and over time it has developed a very long history with maritime, mercantile and military activities. Birgu is a very old locality with its origins reaching back to medieval times. Prior to the establishment of Valletta as capital and main city of Malta, military powers that wanted to rule the Maltese islands would need to obtain control of Birgu due to its significant position in the Grand Harbour. In fact, it served as the base of the Order of Saint John and ''de facto'' capital city of Malta from 1530 to 1571. Birgu is well known for its vital role in the Great Siege of Malta of 1565. In the early 20th century, Bi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephen C
Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is widely regarded as the first martyr (or "protomartyr") of the Christian Church. In English, Stephen is most commonly pronounced as ' (). The name, in both the forms Stephen and Steven, is often shortened to Steve or Stevie. The spelling as Stephen can also be pronounced which is from the Greek original version, Stephanos. In English, the female version of the name is Stephanie. Many surnames are derived from the first name, including Stephens, Stevens, Stephenson, and Stevenson, all of which mean "Stephen's (son)". In modern times the name has sometimes been given with intentionally non-standard spelling, such as Stevan or Stevon. A common variant of the name used in English is Stephan ; related names that have found some cu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Our Lady Of Victories Parish Church
The Basilica of the Nativity of Mary or Basilica of Our Lady of Victories is a Roman Catholic parish church located at Senglea, Malta. It is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. History It was most probably built by the architect Vittorio Cassar in 1580 as a monument to the Christian Victory after the Great Siege of 1565. Senglea became a parish in 1581, and was consecrated on 20 October 1743. On 21 May 1786, Pope Pius VI declared the church to be a "collegiata insignis" (distinguished collegiate church), while in 1921, Pope Benedict XV honoured the church with the title of Basilica. After the crowning of the statue of the Virgin Mary on 4 September 1921, the church became a sanctuary of the Virgin Mary. The church was destroyed by bombs in 1941, but was rebuilt and consecrated by Archbishop Gonzi on 24 August 1956. The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands. Works of art The main attraction of the basi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pietà, Malta
Pietà ( mt, Tal-Pietà) is a small town in the Central Region of Malta, located near the outskirts of the capital city Valletta. Pietà is the suburb next-closest to the capital after Floriana. Its name is derived from Italian and signifies "Mercy." Etymology The name of Pietà in Italian means Mercy. Description Malta's former national hospital, St. Luke's, is located in Tal-Pietà. Tal-Pietà is a coastal town, and an old boathouse of notable historic interest (now in use as a restaurant) is located on the waterfront. The town is named after a Church of Our Lady of Sorrows dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries which is still in active use today. A couple of streets nearby bear the names of St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica. Tal-Pietà was a departure point for the Gozo ferry before the construction of a yacht marina. The patrol boat depot of the Armed Forces of Malta is located at the Hay Wharf in nearby Floriana. Also within the boundaries of Pietà are St ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saint Thomas Tower
Saint Thomas Tower ( mt, Torri ta' San Tumas), also known as Fort Saint Thomas ( mt, Forti San Tumas), is a large bastioned watchtower in Marsaskala, Malta. It was built in 1614, the third of six Wignacourt towers. An artillery battery was added to the tower in the early 18th century. Saint Thomas Tower is the largest watchtower in Malta. History Saint Thomas Tower was built above the shore on the seaward face of the headland of ''il-Ħamrija'' in Marsaskala. It is a substantial fortification intended to prevent the landing of troops in the sheltered anchorages of Marsaskala Creek and St Thomas' Bay. Construction of the tower was approved in July 1614, at the time of the Raid on Żejtun, in which an Ottoman fleet managed to land at St Thomas' Bay. The tower was named after a chapel dedicated to St Thomas, which stood close to where the tower now lies. It cost 13,450 scudi, 6 tarì and 4 grani to build, making it the second most expensive Wignacourt tower, after Saint Mary's T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fort San Lucian
Fort San Lucian ( mt, Forti San Luċjan), also known as Saint Lucian Tower ( mt, Torri ta' San Luċjan) or Fort Rohan ( mt, Forti Rohan), is a large bastioned watchtower and polygonal fort in Marsaxlokk, Malta. The original tower was built by the Order of Saint John between 1610 and 1611, being the second of six Wignacourt towers. An artillery battery was added in around 1715, and the complex was upgraded into a fort in the 1790s. In the 1870s, the fort was rebuilt by the British in the polygonal style. Saint Lucian Tower is the second largest watchtower in Malta, after Saint Thomas Tower. Today, the tower and fort are used by the Malta Aquaculture Research Centre. History Tower and battery Saint Lucian Tower was built above the shore of Marsaxlokk Bay on the headland between Marsaxlokk and Birżebbuġa. According to local legends, a woman is said to have had a dream in which St. John advised her to tell the Grand Master to fortify the area around Marsaxlokk since an Ottoman ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wignacourt Tower
Wignacourt Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Wignacourt), also known as Saint Paul's Bay Tower ( mt, Torri ta' San Pawl il-Baħar), is a bastioned watchtower in St. Paul's Bay, Malta. It was the first of six Wignacourt towers to be built, and the first stone was laid on 10 February 1610. It replaced the role of Ta' Tabibu farmhouse which was previously known as Dejma Tower. An artillery battery was added a century later in 1715. Today the tower is a museum of fortifications around the Maltese Islands. Wignacourt Tower was the second tower to be built in the Maltese islands, after Garzes Tower on Gozo. It was also the first tower to be built on the main island. As Garzes Tower was demolished in 1848, Wignacourt Tower is now the oldest surviving watchtower in Malta. History By the end of the 16th century, Malta's harbour area was extensively fortified. However, the rest of the islands was virtually undefended, and the coastline was open to attacks by Ottomans or Barbary corsairs. This b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Santa Maria Delle Grazie Tower
Santa Maria delle Grazie Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Santa Marija tal-Grazzja), also known as Delle Grazie Tower ( mt, Torri tal-Grazzja), Madonna delle Gratie Tower ( mt, Torri tal-Madonna tal-Grazzja) or Blata Bajda Tower ( mt, Torri tal-Blata l-Bajda), was a watchtower in what is now Xgħajra, Malta. It was constructed in 1620, and was the last of six Wignacourt towers to be built. The tower was demolished in the late 19th century by the British military. History Santa Maria delle Grazie Tower was built above the shore to the east of Grand Harbour, close to the present day town of Xgħajra, on or near the site of a medieval watch post. It was the last of the six Wignacourt towers to be built. The stone laying ceremony of the tower took place in April 1620, and it was built on land belonging to Giorgio Mamo, who later built the Mamo Tower. Santa Maria delle Grazie Tower only cost 4948 scudi to build, which was less than the cost of the other towers. This implies that it was smaller, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Comino
Comino ( mt, Kemmuna) is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ... and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring in area. Named after the cumin seed, the island has a permanent population of only two residents and is part of the municipality of Għajnsielem, in southeastern Gozo, from where one priest and one policeman commute. The island is a bird sanctuary and nature reserve (Natura 2000 Marine Protected area). Environment The island has a karst landscape supporting sclerophyllous shrubland. Some limited afforestation with pine trees has been carried out. The dune, sand-dunes at Santa Maria bay retain some native vegetation, including ''Vitex'' and ''Tamarix'' trees. The island has been identifie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saint Mary's Tower
Saint Mary's Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Santa Marija), also known as the Comino Tower ( mt, Torri ta' Kemmuna), is a large bastioned watchtower on the island of Comino in Malta. It was built in 1618, the fifth of six Wignacourt towers. The tower was used by the Armed Forces of Malta until 2002, and it is now in the hands of Din l-Art Ħelwa. The tower is a prominent landmark of Comino, and can be clearly seen from both Malta and Gozo, as well as from the ferry between the islands. History Saint Mary's Tower was built in 1618 to defend the island of Comino since ships travelling between Malta and Gozo were often attacked by Barbary corsairs based on the cliffs and creeks of Comino. It also served as a communications link between the island of Gozo and mainland Malta in case of an attack on Gozo. Funds for its construction were raised primarily by means of the sale of Comino brushwood, and the total cost was 18,628 scudi, 5 tari and 10 grani, which made it the most expensive of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Giovanni Francesco Abela
Giovanni Francesco Abela (1582–1655) was a Maltese noble who in the early 17th century wrote an important work on Malta, ''Della Descrittione di Malta isola nel Mare Siciliano: con le sue antichità, ed altre notizie'', "description of Malta, island in the Sicilian sea, with its antiquities, and other information". Abela was born in Valletta to Marco Abela and Benarda Vella whose great great grandfather was Barone di Pietra Lunga and whose ancestors ruled Malta on more than one occasion and were part of the royal family of Spain. Malta illustrated is still an important source of first-hand information on a number of subjects of Melitensia, such as folklore, placenames, the Maltese language, history of Malta and archaeology. His description of the Maltese Islands was translated into Latin by G.A. Seinero in 1725, Latin being the universal language of science and culture of that time. This translation was incorporated in Johann Georg Graevius Thesaurus antiquitatum et histori ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
