Attard ( mt, Ħ'Attard) is a town in the Central Region 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 ...

. Together with

Balzan Balzan ( mt, Ħal Balzan) is a municipality in the Central Region of Malta, one of the so-called three villages, together with Attard and Lija. The village originally consisted of a group of small dwellings and farms but eventually grew, becom ...

and

Lija Lija ( mt, Ħal Lija) is a small village in the Central Region of Malta. It forms part of the Three villages of Malta, along with Attard and Balzan. Lija has a baroque parish church and seven other small chapels. The parish church is dedicated ...

it forms part of " the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. It has a population of 12,268 as of 2021. Attard's traditional

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

motto is ''Florigera rosis halo'' ("I perfume the air with my blossoms") due to its many

flower garden A flower garden or floral garden is any garden or part of a garden where plants that flower are grown and displayed. This normally refers mostly to herbaceous plants, rather than flowering woody plants, which dominate in the shrubbery and w ...

s and citrus orchards. Attard is abundant with public gardens. The inhabitants of Attard are known as ''saraċini''.

Etymology

The name of 'Attard' is thought to have been derived from a

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

assumed to belong to the first person who lived there. It is unclear what the word 'Attard' means. Some say it means blossoms as the word 'Attar' means fresh oil of the flowers or from the

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

'Atr' meaning perfume. Another derivation for the surname is the Italian town of "Atti" in Bologna.

Municipality

As a municipality with its own local government structure since 1994, Attard covers a surface area of about seven square kilometers. Its population, including the modern estate of

Misraħ Kola Misraħ Kola, (''the Square of Nicholas'') is an Estate in the locality of Attard, Malta and is considered a part of Attard while not strictly belonging to the three villages made up of (central) Attard, Balzan and Lija Lija ( mt, Ħal Lija) i ...

and surrounding environs, is around 10,000. It comprises to its North, facing the city of

Mdina Mdina ( mt, L-Imdina ; phn, 𐤌𐤋𐤈, Maleṭ; grc, Μελίττη, Melite (ancient city), Melíttē; ar, مدينة, Madīnah; ), also known by its Italian-language titles ("Old City") and ("Notable City"), is a fortifications of Mdin ...

, the flat expanse called

Ta' Qali Ta' Qali is a wide open space in the limits of Attard and Mosta in central and northern Malta respectively, which contains the national football stadium, the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre, Ta' Qali National Park, a crafts village, and a nation ...

. Beneath it the area known as ''Tal-Idward'' joins with Misraħ Kola, across from Wied San Martin (''St Martin's Valley''), Wied Inċita (''Valley of Instigation'') and Wied Irmiedi (''Valley of Ashes''), on the

Żebbuġ Żebbuġ ( mt, Ħaż-Żebbuġ) , also known by its title Città Rohan, is a city in the Northern Region of Malta. It is one of the oldest towns in the country, and its population is 11,074 as of June 2021. History and origins The parish Churc ...

side. Its western front is bordered by Wied is-Sewda (''Black Valley''), on the

Qormi Qormi ( mt, Ħal Qormi ; pronounced in the Qormi dialect), also known by its title Città Pinto, is a city in the Southern Region of Malta, southwest of Valletta in the centre of the island. It has a population of 16,324 (as of March 2018), mak ...

side. To its East, up to Tal-Mirakli (''of the Miracles'') chapel on the

side, is a large zone called ''Ta' Fġieni'' bordering the village core and the 17th Century Parish Church of St. Mary at its centre, built by architect

Tommaso Dingli Tommaso Dingli ( mt, Tumas Dingli, 22 December 1591 – 28 January 1666) was a Maltese architect and sculptor. One of the last Renaissance architects on the island, he designed several parish churches, most notably those of Attard and Birkirkar ...

. Dingli, born and bred in Attard, is best known for his work on the

Wignacourt Aqueduct The Wignacourt Aqueduct ( mt, L-Akwedott ta' Wignacourt) is a 17th-century aqueduct in Malta, which was built by the Order of Saint John to carry water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to the newly built capital city Valletta. The aqueduct was ...

, Porta Reale (the entrance into

Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...

) and several churches. Of these, only Attard's parish church (with its idiosyncratic façade) and the old parish church of Birkirkara remain unaltered. South of the village core is the Sant'Anton Quarter, named for

San Anton Palace San Anton Palace ( mt, Il-Palazz Sant'Anton) is a palace in Attard, Malta that currently serves as the official residence of the President of Malta. It was originally built in the early 17th century as a country villa for Antoine de Paule, a knig ...

and the palace's botanic gardens, both built by the

Knights A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

between around 1600 and 1625. It is now the official residence of the President of Malta and has long been a symbol of Attard.

Zones in Attard

*Misraħ Kola *Hal-Warda *Ta' Qali **Robbu Tal-Ħemsija **Ta' Ħemsija **Ta' Qali ''Crafts Village'' **Ta' Sagħat **Ta' Vnezja **Tal-Madliena **Tal-Madonna **Tal-Maltija *Ta' Qassati *Il-Ħotob *Il-Ħofor *Santa Katerina *Ta' Fġieni *Ta' l-Idward *Ta' Srina *Ta' Vestru *Tal-Fuklar *Tal-Karri *Tal-Mirakli *Wied il-Ħemsija *Wied Inċita *Wied is-Sewda

Development

During the 1980s Attard experienced a boost in development, reflected in the large-scale construction surrounding the village center. However the area surrounding the church and the Sant'Anton Quarter feature a number of converted farmhouses (recognizable through their wooden doors and flat, rustic roofs) and residences built by the Knights of St John, surrounding the summer palace. Attard is also the location of the St Catherine Nursing Home, one of the largest in the Maltese Islands. The Attard Primary School serves as a polling station during elections and like all other localities in Malta, Attard Local Council elections are held every three years. An increase in entertainment and commercial enterprise has seen development along ''Triq il-Pitkalija'' (Pitkalija Road) and nearby the village center, with various retail outlets catering to the village all within walking distance of St Mary's Parish Church. The village center is a hive of activity, especially on Sundays when residents of Attard mingle with fellow churchgoers. Attard celebrates the feast of the

Assumption of Mary The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution ''Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows: We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by Go ...

on 15 August. The 15 August is a national holiday on the Maltese islands.

Clubs and societies

The

Malta Amateur Radio League The Malta Amateur Radio League (MARL) is a non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Malta. Since MARL was established in 1922, its aim has been to bring together people interested in amateur radio and electronics, and to discuss ...

club house is situated in Attard and is the representative body for

amateur radio Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communic ...

. Since MARL was established in 1922, its aim was to bring together people interested in amateur radio/

electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...

and discuss and defend amateur radio matters with the local authorities. It provides educational facilities for members with interest in amateur radio/electronics and also an equipped

amateur radio station An amateur radio station is a radio station designed to provide radiocommunications in the amateur radio service for an amateur radio operator. Radio amateurs build and operate several types of amateur radio stations, including fixed ground sta ...

. MARL corresponds and expresses its ideas with local and foreign same-interest groups, providing its members the facilities of a two-way QSL Bureau as well as financing and maintaining

VHF Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter. Frequencies immediately below VHF ...

Analog television Analog television is the original television technology that uses analog signals to transmit video and audio. In an analog television broadcast, the brightness, colors and sound are represented by amplitude, instantaneous phase and frequency, ...

repeater In telecommunications, a repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it. Repeaters are used to extend transmissions so that the signal can cover longer distances or be received on the other side of an obstruction. Some ...

s and

beacons A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mod ...

. The musical society of La Stella Levantina (''Eastern Star'') is the first of its kind in the village (formed in 1894). It organizes the major activities of the village feast held during 11–15 August, including band marches and feast decorations. It teaches music (at no cost) in its local club, situated in the center of the village.

Notable residents

The President's official residence,

, is situated in Attard. Within walking distance of the President's residence is the official residence of the

United States Ambassador to Malta This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Malta. Initially a part of the British Empire, Malta was granted full independence as the State of Malta on September 21, 1964. The United States recognized the new nation and established ful ...

. The Tunisian embassy to Malta is located in Attard.

Gerald Strickland Gerald Paul Joseph Cajetan Carmel Antony Martin Strickland, 6th Count della Catena, 1st Baron Strickland, (24 May 1861 – 22 August 1940) was a Maltese and British politician and peer, who served as Prime Minister of Malta, Governor of the L ...

was also a resident of Attard, at

Villa Bologna Villa Bologna is a Maltese stately home, in the village of Attard in the central district of Malta. Built in opulent Baroque style, Villa Bologna has been called "the most beautiful 18th century country house to be built for a Maltese family" an ...

. Attard is also home to Archbishop Paul Cremona and

Tiffany Pisani Tiffany Pisani (born 20 January 1992) is a British-Maltese beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Malta 2017 and also was announced as the winner of the cycle 6 of '' Britain's Next Top Model'' in October 2010. She represented Malta ...

, the winner of

Britain's Next Top Model ''Britain's Next Top Model'' (or ''Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model'' 2011–13), often abbreviated as ''BNTM'', ''BINTM'', or ''Top Model'', is a British-Irish reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of ''Bri ...

season 6.

San Anton Palace

Visitors to the palace have included the Grand Masters of the Order of St John,

Queen Marie of Romania Marie (born Princess Marie Alexandra Victoria of Edinburgh; 29 October 1875 – 18 July 1938) was the last Queen of Romania as the wife of Ferdinand I of Romania, King Ferdinand I. Marie was born into the British royal family. Her parent ...

, the Russian Empress Marie Feodorovna,

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

, Napoleon's younger brother

Louis Bonaparte Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (born Luigi Buonaparte; 2 September 1778 – 25 July 1846) was a younger brother of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. He was a monarch in his own right from 1806 to 1810, ruling over the Kingdom of Holland (a French cl ...

as a prisoner, and the poet

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Samuel Taylor Coleridge (; 21 October 177225 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poe ...

. Governor Borton opened the botanic gardens to the public in 1882 for picnics and strolls. Fairs and competitions celebrating plants, flowers, animals and livestock take place there. A dramatic company used to put on a Shakespeare Festival every summer, and there are often music recitals. During the

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2005 The 2005 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was the 19th Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held in Valletta, Malta, between 25 November and 27 November 2005, and hosted by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonz ...

, hosted by Malta, the President's Palace in Attard served as a residence for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

Sport

Attard is the home of Attard F.C., currently competing in

Maltese Challenge League The Maltese Challenge League (referred to as the BOV Challenge League for sponsorship reasons) is the second-highest division in Maltese football, behind the Maltese Premier League. The First Division was the precursor of the present Premier L ...

(second tier).

Twin towns – sister cities

Attard is twinned with: *

Élancourt Élancourt () is a commune in the Yvelines department, and the Île-de-France region, north central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, 30.6 km (19.0 mi) from the center of Paris, in the " new town" of Saint-Quentin- ...

, France *

Pieve Emanuele Pieve Emanuele ( lmo, Piev ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about south of Milan, and about north of Pavia. Pieve Emanuele borders the following municipalities: Rozzano, Opera, Locate di Triulzi, Basigl ...

, Italy

References

External links

Attard Local Council

Attard Parish
{{Authority control Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta