The Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery ( mt, Iċ-Ċimiterju ta' Santa Marija Addolorata, "Cemetery of Our Lady of Sorrows"; formerly

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 ...

: ''Cimitero di Santa Maria Addolorata''), often known simply as the Addolorata Cemetery ( mt, Iċ-Ċimiterju tal-Addolorata), is a state owned

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 ...

cemetery located in Paola,

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 is a multi-faith cemetery, but predominantly characterized by Catholic burials. It is the largest burial ground in the country and has been expanded a number of times. People of all social background are buried within the cemetery, and it consists from temporary memorial plaques of the death (which are removed over time) to permanent monuments including chapels belonging to private families. The cemetery also includes Commonwealth War graves.

History

The cemetery was built between 1862 and 1868 on a hill known as ''Tal-Ħorr'' (formerly ''Tal Palma'' in

) in which was already a burial ground since prehistoric times. The cemetery and the chapel were built in a neo-gothic design based on designs by the architect

Emanuele Luigi Galizia Emanuele Luigi Galizia (7 November 1830 – 6 May 1907) was a Maltese architect and civil engineer, who designed many public buildings and several churches. He is regarded as "the principal Maltese architect throughout the second half of the ni ...

. It was opened on May 9, 1869. Nonetheless, the first burial took place on January 23, 1872. This cemetery is full of old Mausoleums and statues in marble and bronze. The cemetery was further extended in the 1970s. The cemetery contains 277 identified interments and commemorations of military personnel killed in the country in

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 ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Many graves are marked by

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations mil ...

(CWGC) gravestones. The language used in the tombstones is

until

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...

, then mainly

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. In more recent gravestones, the most frequently used language is Maltese.

Chapel

The iconic neo-gothic Chapel of Our Lady (formerly in

: ''Cappella della Beata Vergine Addolorata'') is the centre of attraction within the whole complex. The cemetery is built around the chapel, which lies on the highest part of the hill. Its spire is visible from miles away above the surrounding trees. The care of the non-denominational chapel was in the hands of the Franciscan Capuchins until 2010.

References

External links

{{commons category-inline, Addolorata Cemetery Paola, Malta Cemeteries in Malta Catholic cemeteries in Europe Gothic Revival architecture in Malta Buildings and structures completed in 1869 1869 establishments in Malta Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in Malta