Ħamrun
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Hamrun (; ) is a town in the Southern 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 ...
, with a population of 9,244 as of March 2014.


The people

The townspeople are traditionally known as ''Tas-Sikkina'' (literally meaning 'of the knife' or 'those who carry a knife') or as ''Ta' Werwer'' (which literally means 'those who scare' or more colloquially, 'the scary ones'). This appellation could stem from the fact that a considerable number of used to work as stevedores on the docks and thus carried a knife at all times. Another theory was that the community of Sicilians who settled here illegally in the 16th century danced a traditional dance which involved the wielding of small
stiletto A stiletto () is a knife or dagger with a long slender blade and needle-like point, primarily intended as a stabbing weapon.Limburg, Peter R., ''What's In The Names Of Antique Weapons'', Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, , (1973), pp. 77-78 The stile ...
s which they carried in their socks, waving them in the air and back to their sheaths.


Notable residents

San Ġorġ Preca (founder of the
Society of Christian Doctrine The Society of Christian Doctrine ( la, Societas Doctrinæ Christianæ, it, Società della Dottrina Cristiana, mt, Soċjetà Duttrina Nisranija; abbreviated SDC), better known as MUSEUM, is a society of Catholic lay volunteers, made of men and wo ...
) although born in
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 ...
, lived most of his life in Hamrun. He is buried in a Chapel in Hamrun. It is the home town of former Prime Minister
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, (17 July 19335 November 2022) was a Maltese politician who served as Prime Minister of Malta from December 1984 to May 1987.
and of Presidents
Anton Buttigieg Anton Buttigieg, ( mt, Anton Buttiġieġ ; 19 February 1912 – 5 May 1983) was a Maltese political figure and poet. He served as the second president of Malta from 1976 until 1981. Early life Anton Buttigieg was born in Qala, Gozo, on 19 ...
and
Guido de Marco Guido de Marco, (22 July 1931 – 12 August 2010) was a Maltese politician, who served as the sixth president of Malta from 1999 to 2004. A noted statesman and lawmaker, de Marco also served as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interi ...
. The founder of the
Malta Workers' Union The UHM Voice of the Workers is a national trade union center in Malta. It was founded on 29 September 1966, under the name ''Malta Government Clerical Union'' (MGCU), and changed its name in 1978 to UHM. The union has members in both the pr ...
(UHM), Salvino Spiteri, was born and lived here. Hamrun gave birth to several important artists and men of letters. Notable persons from Hamrun are the actor and lyrical singer
Oreste Kirkop Oreste Kirkop (Chircop) (26 July 1923 - 10 May 1998) was a Maltese singer. Biography Kirkop was born in Ħamrun (Malta). He was the sixth child among the ten siblings of Jean Chircop and Fortunata Panzavecchia. He started to realise his singing ...
, who is remembered mostly for his role in ''
The Vagabond King ''The Vagabond King'' is a 1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml in four acts, with a book and lyrics by Brian Hooker and William H. Post, based upon Justin Huntly McCarthy's 1901 romantic novel and play ''If I Were King''. The story is a fictionaliz ...
'', and Maltese poet and theatre director Mario Azzopardi (born in 1944), who has a strong reputation for introducing new, radical poetry in Malta in the Sixties and who became the artistic director of the Malta Drama Centre (est. 1979). Josephine Zammit Cordina is a well-known actress and TV personality. She is also associated with Australia being the presenter of the Radio Programme "Boomerang" and TV programme "Waltzing Matilda". She was honoured by the
Government of Malta A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
(Ġieħ Ir-Republika) and the
Government of Australia The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federalism, federal parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster system, Westminster-sty ...
(Honorary Member of the
Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
). Il-Kavallier tal-Irkotta. Joe Zammit Cordina (Josephine's brother in-law) was also a well-known actor and TV personality. He took part in a number of International Films in minor character roles. The Airport scene in "Midnight Express" is well remembered. He was also Mayor of Hamrun. Another modern poet, Victor Fenech (b. 1936), involved for many years as a drama critic, also hails from Hamrun. From the romantic school of literature one should mention Rev. Frans Camilleri, also born in this town. Hamrun also gave birth to film director
Mario Philip Azzopardi Mario Philip Azzopardi (born 19 November 1950) is a Canadian-Maltese television director, television and film director and writer. Early life and emigration Azzopardi was born in Siggiewi, Malta, and was educated at St Aloysius' College (Malta), S ...
(born in 1950), who is not to be confused wit
Mario Azzopardi
the poet and drama animator (also born in Hamrun in 1944). Mario Philip settled in Canada and has many commercial film titles and TV serials to his credit. The other Mario Azzopardi is a well-known poet and animator, accredited with introducing new forms of literature to the island. Joseph Buttigieg, distinguished literary scholar at the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...
and father of
South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...
mayor and
United States Secretary of Transportation The United States secretary of transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to transportation. The secre ...
Pete Buttigieg Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg ( ; ; Sometimes pronounced or , but not by Buttigieg himself. born January 19, 1982) is an American politician and former military officer who is currently serving as the United States secretary of transp ...
, was born in Hamrun. Hamrun is also the home town of playwright Oreste Calleja (b. 1946), an acclaimed author who wrote important new-genre plays in the native language. Hamrun has also been the home for a number of years of Bjorn Formosa M.Q.R, the ALS Malta founder, who in 2017 was also honoured with . Due to the prominence of the St. Cajetan Parish Church, many residents carry the name of the patron saint, generally in Maltese or in Italian.


Culture

Hamrun is increasingly becoming a cultural melting pot, especially in culinary terms. It organises an annual chocolate festival where chocolatiers from all Malta demonstrate their artistry.
Cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...
s available in Hamrun, apart from the contemporary local one, such as an
art-deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the United ...
café, include
Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
,
Afghan Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia *Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity ** Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...
,
West African West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Ma ...
,
Syrian Syrians ( ar, سُورِيُّون, ''Sūriyyīn'') are an Eastern Mediterranean ethnic group indigenous to the Levant. They share common Levantine Semitic roots. The cultural and linguistic heritage of the Syrian people is a blend of both indi ...
and
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
cuisine. The town is also notable for being home to the world-renowned eatery 'Bandit.'


Churches

''Our Lady of Atoċja Chapel'' is the oldest chapel in Hamrun. It was built in the early 17th century by a merchant trader who brought the painting of the Madonna from Atocha in Spain. The people from Hamrun refer to it as . During the French blockade of 1798–1800, Maltese insurgents built a
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
near the chapel. ''Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal'' Church is the Motherhouse of the Society of Christian Doctrine founded by Saint George Preca. In fact, he was buried in the crypt of the Church. On a Wednesday, in Passiontide, a Procession of Christ the Redeemer walks through (Hamrun Main Road). The Procession starts adjacent to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church and ends when the Statue of Jesus Christ is inside Saint Cajetan Sanctuary. The procession is accompanied by band funeral marches and the 1st Hamrun Scout Group. The ''Chapel of Porto Salvo'' was built in 1736 and it was conceived as a village chapel. It is built in the
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
Style. Today the chapel is used mostly for the adoration of the Holy Eucharist. The local refer to the chapel as . ''Immaculate Conception Parish'' Church was built in the 1960s to cater for the large population of Hamrun. In architectural terms the church has a very plain and neat design. In 1973 it became the first parish to receive the
Neocatechumenal Way The Neocatechumenal Way, also known as the Neocatechumenate, or NCW (colloquially, The Way or Neo-Cats) is an association of the Christian faithful within the Catholic Church. It was formed in Madrid in 1964 by Kiko Argüello and Carmen Herná ...
, from where it spread to another 26 parishes in the Maltese Islands. The Neocatechumenal Way is also present in St. Cajetan Parish. Together these two parishes have 13 'communities' with around 450 members. ''St. Francis of Assisi'' Church was built in the 1950s by the Franciscan Community to cater for the local community. File: Gesu' Redentur.jpg, '' Christ the Redeemer'', ''St Cajetan Parish'', Hamrun File: Gesu' Redentur II.jpg, , Hamrun ''St. Cajetan'' Parish Church was built in the latter half of the 19th century. Originally it was intended to name the church for St. Joseph. However Bishop
Gaetano Pace Forno Gaetano Pace Forno (5 June 1809 – 22 July 1874) was a Maltese Archbishop who became the Bishop of Malta after his predecessor Archbishop Publio Maria dei Conti Sant tendered his resignation. Biography Pace Forno was born in Victoria, Gozo on 5 ...
wanted to name the church after his patron saint. The church is built in a
Neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style. Its interior was painted by
Emvin Cremona Emanuel Vincent "Emvin" Cremona (27 May 1919 – 29 January 1987) was a Maltese artist and stamp designer. He is regarded as one of the best Maltese artists of the 20th century. Cremona is known for designing most Maltese stamps from 1957 to th ...
. The statue of
Saint Cajetan Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene (6 October 1480 – 7 August 1547), known as Saint Cajetan (), was an Italian Catholic priest and religious reformer, co-founder of the Theatines. He is recognised as a saint in the Catholic Church, and his feast day i ...
was done by Carlo Darmanin. File: St. Cajetan of Thiene, Ħamrun Parish Church.jpg, Parish Church of St. Cajetan File: Interior of San Gejtanu Sanctuary.jpg, Interior of the Parish Church of St. Cajetan File: Saint Cajetan Church II.jpg, Parish Church of St. Cajetan File: Saint Cajetan Church.jpg, Parish Church of St. Cajetan


Feast

The Patron Saints of Hamrun are
Saint Cajetan Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene (6 October 1480 – 7 August 1547), known as Saint Cajetan (), was an Italian Catholic priest and religious reformer, co-founder of the Theatines. He is recognised as a saint in the Catholic Church, and his feast day i ...
, the
Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the belief that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church, meaning that it is held to be a divinely revealed truth w ...
and
Saint Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...
. Saint Cajetan's feast is celebrated on the first Sunday after 7 August and the Immaculate Conception feast is celebrated in the first Sunday of July. St Cajetan's feast generates a lot of commerce in the Hamrun district. The Parish church was designed by George Schinas. Construction of the church was finished in 1875. The titular painting was done by
Pietro Gagliardi Pietro Gagliardi (9 August 1809 – 19 September 1890) was an Italian painter and architect, who decorated many churches and palaces in Rome and throughout Italy. Biography Gagliardi was born in Rome on 9 August 1809 to Francesco (of Campania ...
in Rome. The statue of St Cajetan is the work of eminent Maltese sculptor Charles Darmanin and was completed in 1885. There are three band clubs in Hamrun; St Joseph's band club, St Cajetan's band club and the Immaculate Conception band club, the only band in the Immaculate Conception Parish. St Cajetan's, or as it is also known "tat-Tamal" and St Joseph's, or as it is also known "Tal-Miskina", hold marathon marches "Marċ tal-brijju" on the day of the feast starting early in the morning and ending late in the afternoon. There is great rivalry between the two band clubs, which makes for one of the most exciting feasts in Malta. Both band club are over a century old; St Joseph's was the first band club, set up shortly after the formation of the parish in 1889, whereas St Cajetan's was formed in 1907. The two band clubs are associated with two different colours; red for St Cajetan's Band Club whilst blue for St Joseph's Band Club. Supporters of the band clubs surround their respective marching band decked out in clothes and head bands and carrying flags of the same colour as that of their club. Hand-held fire works, especially noisy ones, are set off along the parade route and supporters shower the bands and their supporters with streamers and confetti from balconies and roofs. At times, the confetti look like a heavy snow storm. Little children run around playing with the mounds of paper that are left behind the marching bands. In the evening, local band clubs play on a band stand adjacent to the parish church. Locals and visitors walk back and forth along the main street under colourful lights and banners. The streets are lined with statues of saints and angels. The procession leaves the church early in the evening and winds its way around the city. The fiesta ends with a spectacular run up the stairs of the Parish Church. Volunteers carrying the statue of the Patron Saint take a "ġirja" (run) up the stairs under the watchful eyes of parishioners, visitors and tourists. This traditional ending of the boisterous local feast dates back to 1898. The run is usually accompanied by an equally spectacular and noisy fire works display and loud cheers and clapping from the crowds. For a brief period, there was the possibility of this tradition being abolished, after the statue almost fell onto the crowd. It was however confirmed by the Diocese of Malta curia, on 1 June 2014, that the tradition should remain. On 7 January 2018, the town celebrated a 500-year St. Cajetan anniversary. Besides the feast of St Cajetan, Hamrun celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception both on the first Sunday of July and on 8 December with great fervour and delight. The titular statue of the Immaculate Conception is held with great esteem due to the admiration it drew from the great pontiff Leo XIII who on seeing its magnificence bestowed on it the honour of serving as a tangible means for grace through the distribution of an indulgence to whoever expresses devotion towards it. The feast of the Immaculate Conception is quite different from that of St Cajetan. Rather than focusing on the external more energetic and lively side of the feast, it is a feast which is much more muted and the parish's only band club guarantees a total absence of rivalry. File: Vara ta' San GejtanuIV.jpg, Procession with the Statue of St Gajetan File: Festa_San_Gejtanu,_Hamrun,_Malta.jpg, Procession with the Statue of St Gajetan File: ChurchLightenUpForFeast.jpg, Sanctuary lit up for Festa


Societies and clubs


Religious organization

*Mixja Neokatekumenali, Kuncizzjoni Hamrun, (https://knisja.mt/movimenti-kattolici/mixja-neokatekumenali/)


Band clubs

*Għaqda Mużikali San Gejtanu (Saint Gaetan's Band Club) *Socjeta Mużikali San Ġużepp (Saint Joseph's Band Club) *Għaqda Mużikali Kunċizzjoni (Immaculate Conception Band Club)www.bandakuncizzjoni.com


Social clubs

*Hamrun Liberty *Civic Club *Hobbies Society


Scouts

Since 1908 when the
Scout Movement Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking ...
was introduced in
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 ...
, it has been said that the 1st Hamrun Scout Group was one of the pioneers of scouting in this country. However, it was only in 1913 that the Hamrun Group was recognized officially thanks to the diligence and dedication of the founder of the Group, Mr. Edgar Delia and Mr. A.E. Vicari, the first
Scoutmaster A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit. Roles There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on t ...
. The group's motto is ''Forward Hamrun''. One can find documents that when Mr. Delia, together with other Maltese scouts participated for the first Scout Rally in Windsor Great Park in 1911, where he was given a bugle from Camp Commandant Lt. Col. Minden Cole. This bugle was the inspiration for the formation of the bugle and fife band within this Group. During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the Hamrun Group served the country by helping in doing air-raid demonstrations and doing coast-guard watching around the island. After the War, the Group grew so much that towards the end of the 1950s it was thought that bigger headquarters would be needed. So, the Group Scout Leader of those days, Mr Joe Borg, together with the other leaders of the Group and with the help of Mr. Ernest Micallef, started to look for an alternative place. It was only in 1968 that the Hamrun Group officially inaugurated the old train station as the new headquarters. In the same year, the Group was honoured by the Coat of Arms of
Duke of Argyll Duke of Argyll ( gd, Diùc Earraghàidheil) is a title created in the peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The earls, marquesses, and dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful ...
. From that day onwards, with the permission and approval of The Scout Association of Malta, the Group was known as the ''1st Hamrun Scout Group Duke of Argyll's Own''. This was a big step forward for the Hamrun Group, especially for its band, that now was honoured to wear the
Clan Campbell Clan Campbell ( gd, Na Caimbeulaich ) is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan be ...
tartan Tartan ( gd, breacan ) is a patterned cloth consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Sc ...
.


Sports

Hamrun is home to the Ħamrun Spartans football club. Hamrun houses Victor Tesesco Stadium, a stadium used for premier league fixtures. Two other important teams include the
Hamrun Liberty Hamrun (; ) is a town in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 9,244 as of March 2014. The people The townspeople are traditionally known as ''Tas-Sikkina'' (literally meaning 'of the knife' or 'those who carry a knife') or as '' ...
who play basketball, and Hamrun Kavallieri playing rugby.


Transport

Several historic transport services used to pass through Hamrun, including the
Malta Railway The Malta Railway was the only railway line ever on the island of Malta, and it consisted of a single railway line from Valletta to Mdina. It was a single-track line in metre gauge, operating from 1883 to 1931. The railway was known locally in ...
, known in Maltese as . The former train station is now used as the headquarters for the Hamrun Scout group which is one of the oldest scout groups in the world. Another transport service which used to pass through the town was that of the
Tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
. St. Joseph High Road ( mt, Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp) is the main street of Hamrun and one of the most important commercial areas of Malta.


Schools

Hamrun has the largest concentration of schools in
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 ...
. The oldest schools of Hamrun are the Government Primary Schools. These schools cater for students from the age of 3 to 11 years. The older primary school dates back to the mid-18th century. The doorways of the school are adorned by busts of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The other primary school was built in the early 1920s. Maria Regina Girls' Junior Lyceum is a large girl's Junior Lyceum built in the late 1950s. Dun Guzepp Zammit Brighella Boys' Junior Lyceum traces its origins in the 1590s. The coat of arms of the school still bears part of the coat of arms of the Bishop Garagallo who was Bishop of Malta. Originally the lyceum was found in Valletta. The current building was built in the early 1950s. Maria Assunta Girls' Secondary School is one of the largest schools in Malta. This school was built in the 1960s with the help of
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
. Adelaide Cini Girls' School was another girls school in Hamrun. It was closed down just a few years ago. Today the same building houses the temporary location for students who eventually will go to M.A. Vassalli Boys' Junior Lyceum. Maria Teresa Nuzzo Girls' School was a school which used to cater for the low ability female students aged between 11 and 16 years. This school was located in the same premises of the Primary School built in the 1920s. The student population was around 100. This school was closed down in 2005. Our Lady Immaculate Girls' School is a church school which cater for from the age of 4 to 16. This school is managed by Franciscan Sisters. In this school there are almost 700 children. St. Joseph's Girls School is a church school which caters for students from the age of 4 to 16.


Zones in Hamrun

* (White Rock) * * (Our Lady of Sorrows district) * * (Our Lady of Atocia district) * (Immaculate Conception district)


Twin towns – sister cities

Hamrun is twinned with: *
Scilla ''Scilla'' () is a genus of about 30 to 80 species of bulb-forming perennial herbaceous plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Sometimes called the squills in English, they are native to woodlands, subalpine meadows, and sea ...
, Italy *
Omsk Omsk (; rus, Омск, p=omsk) is the administrative center and largest city of Omsk Oblast, Russia. It is situated in southwestern Siberia, and has a population of over 1.1 million. Omsk is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk ...
, Russia


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamrun Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta