The Barrakka Lift is a

lift Lift or LIFT may refer to: Physical devices * Elevator, or lift, a device used for raising and lowering people or goods ** Paternoster lift, a type of lift using a continuous chain of cars which do not stop ** Patient lift, or Hoyer lift, mobil ...

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 ...

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 ...

which was constructed in 2012, on the site of a previous lift which had operated from 1905 to 1973 and which was demolished in 1983. It is located inside the

ditch A ditch is a small to moderate divot created to channel water. A ditch can be used for drainage, to drain water from low-lying areas, alongside roadways or fields, or to channel water from a more distant source for plant irrigation. Ditches ar ...

of the

fortifications of Valletta The fortifications of Valletta ( mt, Is-Swar tal-Belt Valletta) are a series of defensive walls and other fortifications which surround Valletta, the capital city of Malta. The first fortification to be built was Fort Saint Elmo in 1552, but th ...

, and it links Lascaris Wharf to St. Peter and Paul Bastion and the

Upper Barrakka Gardens The Upper Barrakka Gardens ( mt, Il-Barrakka ta' Fuq) are a public garden in Valletta, Malta. Along with the Lower Barrakka Gardens in the same city, they offer a panoramic view of the Grand Harbour. The gardens are located on the upper tier of ...

. It therefore allows access from the

Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour ( mt, il-Port il-Kbir; it, Porto Grande), also known as the Port of Valletta, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks (Malta Dockyard), wharves, and ...

to the city.

First lift

Background and construction

In 1901, Sacco Albanese, a former employee of the

Edison Manufacturing Company The Edison Manufacturing Company, originally registered as the United Edison Manufacturing Company and often known as simply the Edison Company, was organized by inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Edison and incorporated in New York City in May 188 ...

, proposed the construction of a tramway in Malta. The tender was won by Macartney, McElroy & Co. Ltd, which apart from the tramway also planned to construct two lifts in Valletta, one near

Marsamxett Harbour Marsamxett Harbour (), historically also referred to as Marsamuscetto, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It is located to the north of the larger Grand Harbour. The harbour is generally more dedicated to leisure use than the Grand H ...

and another near the

. Eventually it was decided to only construct the elevator on the Grand Harbour side, and the contract was signed on 24 December 1903. Macartney, McElroy & Co. Ltd hired the London-based subcontractors Joseph Richmond & Co. Ltd. Construction cost £5000 and it was completed in September 1905. The official opening took place on 18 December 1905.

Description

The lift was constructed out of steel, and it was high while it had a weight of . Part of the sloping bastion wall was cut out so as to make way for the lift's tower, while steel girders were attached to the top of the lift to ensure stability. The lift had two cabins that could hold 12 passengers and were suspended on four ropes. Two 500 V motors were located in the booth at the top of the tower, allowing a maximum speed of 1.3 m/s. Hydraulic buffers designed to brake the elevator were located at the bottom of the lift shafts.

Operation

Tickets for the lift initially cost ½d for military personnel and 1d for other clients. Daily profits were around £10 on weekdays and £14 on Sundays. 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 ...

, problems arose regarding the supply of spare parts and coal which was used to power the lift. In October 1917, the company was forced to suspend the lift due to a lack of spare parts, and it only resumed operation in June 1919 after the war had ended. Malta - Valletta - Xatt Lascaris - Valletta Ditch - Barrakka Lift 02 ies

Malta - Valletta - Xatt Lascaris - Valletta Ditch - Barrakka Lift 02 ies

The

Malta Tramways The Malta Tramways Ltd company operated electric tramways in Malta from 23 February 1905 till 1929. A legal trailer was founded in 1903 by the Society. It was handled by a meter-wide track. Drive along the Bilevel rail car, the side and on top o ...

were abolished in 1929, and the power plant which supplied the lift stopped functioning in 1931, when the government granted the company a plot near the elevator so as to allow them to built a new power station on it. This allowed the lift to be powered by electricity from the power grid, and the new building also had a waiting room. A significant drop in customers using the lift occurred during

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 ...

, due to increasing ticket prices caused by increased electricity costs and irregular ferry services. Initially it was planned to increase prices by ½d, but prices were eventually increased by 1d in 1941, resulting in tickets for military employees costing 1½d and those for other clients costing 2d. In February 1941, 18,224 people were transported, resulting in a profit of £128.19s.8d. In February 1942, over 650 passengers were transported on an average daily basis. Valletta-UpperBarraccaGarden

Political changes in the decades after the war, including Malta's independence in 1964, took their toll on the bridge. A significant number of the lift's clients were British military personnel and employees, and the reduced military activity after independence resulted in a further drop in the number of customers. Ticket prices rose by another ½d in 1958. A planned increase of fees up to 3d in 1964 was not accepted by the government. The company reported significant losses on 22 January 1973, and lift ceased operation on 1 February 1973. It was passed to the government in 1974, and Macartney, McElroy & Co. Ltd was liquidated in 1975. Proposals to restart operation of the lift were never implemented, and in the late 1970s the decision was taken that the lift should be dismantled. Initially this did not take place due to the significant costs involved, but eventually the lift was demolished between June and August 1983. Demolition was carried out by the General Construction and Engineering Company, which had been set up by the government specifically for dismantling the lift. It was planned to use the salvaged steel to rebuild the St Elmo Bridge which had been destroyed in World War II, but this was never done and the steel was abandoned at Corradino.

Second lift

Construction

Plans to construct a new lift at the site were initiated in 2004, with the intention being to facilitate access to the historic centre of Valletta from the Grand Harbour, where cruise liners were being berthed. A ferry service linking the

Three Cities The Three Cities ( mt, It-Tlett Ibliet) is a collective description of the three fortified cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua in Malta. The oldest of the Three Cities is Vittoriosa, which has existed since prior to the Middle Ages. ...

to the harbour was also planned. In 2009 it was decided that the lift was to be rebuilt by the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation at an estimated cost of €2 million. The estimated date of completion was originally March 2011, but delays related to obtaining the required permits led to work on the project beginning in July 2011. The construction of the lift was partially financed by the

European Regional Development Fund The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is one of the European Structural and Investment Funds allocated by the European Union. Its purpose is to transfer money from richer regions (not countries), and invest it in the infrastructure and se ...

. The lift wad designed by the local firm Architecture Project. It was inaugurated on 15 December 2012 by Prime Minister

Lawrence Gonzi Lawrence Gonzi, (born 1 July 1953) is a Maltese people, Maltese politician, retired Nationalist Party (Malta), Nationalist politician and lawyer, who served for twenty-five years in various critical roles in Maltese politics. Gonzi was Prime M ...

and infrastructure minister Austin Gatt. The ferry service linking the Three Cities to the Grand Harbour was inaugurated a week before the lift.

Description

Malta - Valletta - Pjazza Kastilja - Upper Barrakka Gardens - Barrakka Lift 02 ies

The lift stands at , and it consists of a concrete structure which is surrounded by an aluminium mesh. It has two cabins which can carry up to 21 passengers each, resulting in a carrying capacity of up to 800 people per hour. The journey takes approximately 23 seconds. It also includes a flight of stairs.

Operation

The lift is open from 07:00 to 21:00 from November to May, and 07:00 to 00:00 from June to October. A return trip costs €1, and it is free for children under 10 years old, holders of KartaAnzjan and those holders of 3 cities ferry tickets.

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

{{Valletta Buildings and structures in Valletta Individual elevators Transport buildings and structures in Malta 1905 establishments in Malta Transport infrastructure completed in 1905 1973 disestablishments in Malta Buildings and structures demolished in 1983 2012 establishments in Malta Transport infrastructure completed in 2012