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Saint Julian's () is a town in the
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of
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
. As of 2020, its registered number of inhabitants stands at 13,792. It is situated along the coast, north of the country's capital,
Valletta Valletta ( ; , ) is the capital city of Malta and one of its 68 Local councils of Malta, council areas. Located between the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west, its population as of 2021 was 5,157. As Malta’s capital ...
. It is known for
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
-oriented businesses, such as
hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
s,
restaurant A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
s and
nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...
s which are centred mainly in an area known as
Paceville Paceville ( sometimes abbreviated PV) is a district in St Julian's which is the main nightlife hub in Malta, being heavily populated with nightclubs, bars, strip clubs, pubs and restaurants. It is hence also known as 'Malta's Sin City'. Pacev ...
.


Etymology, feast and traditions

The town is named after its patron saint; Saint Julian who is widely known as
Julian the Hospitaller Saint Julian the Hospitaller is a saint venerated in the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. He is the patron saint of the cities of Ghent, Belgium; Saint Julian's, Malta; and Macerata, Italy. History and patronage The earliest known ...
and Julian the Poor whereby he is the patron saint of hunters. Before the reform of the Calendar of Saints, the memorial to St Julian was on 27 January. Nowadays, it is celebrated on 12 February, although in Malta an additional feast, in the spirit of the many summer feasts around the island, is celebrated on the last Sunday of August. A very particular competition connected with the town's feast is known as ''ġostra''. This traditional competitive feat involves participants climbing and running as far as possible along a sloping greased pole which is suspended above the sea. The winner is the person to grab one of three flags dangling from the end of the pole, each flag representing a certain prize. Another tradition connected with the feast of this locality is Musketterija''. Starting in 1982, this tradition sees Hunters firing blank cartridges filled with black powder from the roof of the parish church as the statue of the patron saint is brought out of the church. Many say this tradition is in line with the history of the locality which used to be hunting grounds for the Knights of Malta.


Location and areas

The town is located on Malta's east coast, north of Valletta and the neighbouing town of
Sliema Sliema ( ) is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Districts of Malta#Northern Harbour District, Northern Harbour District. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. ...
. It is subdivided into informal districts which are
Paceville Paceville ( sometimes abbreviated PV) is a district in St Julian's which is the main nightlife hub in Malta, being heavily populated with nightclubs, bars, strip clubs, pubs and restaurants. It is hence also known as 'Malta's Sin City'. Pacev ...
,
Ta' Ä iorni Saint Julian's () is a town in the Eastern Region of Malta. As of 2020, its registered number of inhabitants stands at 13,792. It is situated along the coast, north of the country's capital, Valletta. It is known for tourism-oriented businesse ...
,
Tal-Għoqod Swieqi () is a town in the Eastern Region of Malta. It is a residential area just 15 minutes by bus from Sliema and within walking distance of Malta's nightlife and entertainment centres, Paceville and St. Julian's. As the town developed, resi ...
and St Andrew's, as well as the regions surrounding St George's Bay, Spinola Bay,
Balluta Bay Balluta Bay is a bay on the northeast coast of Malta within St. Julian's. It is a popular recreation spot used for swimming, diving, and water sports, with a triangular ''pjazza'' surrounded by cafés and shaded by Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastr ...
, and Il-Qaliet cliffs. St Julian's is a tourist destination, especially popular during the summer months. Malta's tallest building, the still-under construction
Mercury Tower The Mercury Tower is a high-rise, mixed-use building in St. Julian's, Malta. At tall, it has been Malta's tallest building since 2020 when it overtook the Portomaso Tower upon its topping out. The building has 32 floors of mixed residential an ...
, is located in St. Julian's, along with the island's previous tallest building, the Portomaso Business Tower.


History


Old Parish Church

The earliest documentary evidence of this church is of the pastoral visit of Bishop Tommaso Gargallo of 1601, which he says was built in 1580 and was dedicated to Saint Julian. In 1736, when Monsignor Alpheran de Bussan re-visited Saint Julian's, he noted that the locality was already known as ''Portus Sancti Juliani'', meaning "St Julian's port". In 1854, the 600 or so residents of Saint Julian's appealed to the church authority, in order to make it a parish. The chapter at
Birkirkara Birkirkara (abbreviated as B'Kara or BKR) is a city in the Eastern Region, Malta, Eastern Region of Malta. It is the second most populous on the Malta (island), island, with 24,356 inhabitants as of 2020. The town consists of five autonomous pari ...
protested strongly against such an application and consequently the application was denied; but it was granted at reapplication in 1891. Dun Guzepp Scerri became the first parish priest. The parish church was designed by Maltese architect Arturo Zammit and its first stone was laid in 1961. It was used for the first time in 1968 when it was still not fully built. The church welcomed
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
on his first visit to Malta on 27 May 1990. The Millenium Chapel designed by Maltese architect Richard England was inaugurated in 2000. It houses a meditation garden inaugurated in May 2018 as a refuge for contemplation and tranquility right in the heart of the entertainment Zone of
Paceville Paceville ( sometimes abbreviated PV) is a district in St Julian's which is the main nightlife hub in Malta, being heavily populated with nightclubs, bars, strip clubs, pubs and restaurants. It is hence also known as 'Malta's Sin City'. Pacev ...
. Built on the initiative and run by Fr Hilary Tagliaferro, this church is run by Augustinian clergy through the Millenium Chapel Foundation. Until the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, St. Julians was a very peaceful coastal town known for its Latin architecture such as the Spinola Palace and greenery surrounding it. Moreover, Spinola Bay was characterized by its fishermen and farmers dwelling the countryside. It has seen one of the largest infrastructure developments on the island with many old houses being demolished to construct blocks of apartments. In 2020 plans to develop a tourist Ferry point within Balluta Bay have been met with public concern and protests by individuals, local council and NGOs.


Spinola Palace

Because of fear of attacks by Muslims, the northern coastal area remained undeveloped until the diminished attacks after the
Great Siege of Malta The Great Siege of Malta (Maltese language, Maltese: ''L-Assedju l-Kbir'') occurred in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the island of Malta, then held by the Knights Hospitaller. The siege lasted nearly four months, from 18 May t ...
in 1565. The building of Spinola Palace, coming as it does in 1688, is to be regarded as the stepping stone for the coastal reclamation of San Ä iljan. The palace, together with the surrounding gardens, was built by Fra Paolo Raffaele Spinola for the public entertainment as stated in the inscription above the
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
. The palace was enlarged in 1733 through the efforts of Fra
Giovanni Battista Spínola Giovanni Battista Spinola (1681–1752) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal. He was born in Genoa at the Republic of Genoa, on 16 July 1681 and was the great-grandson of Cardinal Giambattista Spinola (1615–1704), and the nephew of Cardinal Giambatti ...
, successor to his uncle as rector and Curator of the Abbazia. During the French occupation of these islands in 1798, St Julians was the first town in Malta to be conquered by French troops led by General Claude Henri Vaubois who led the French forces into Spinola Bay.


Notable places in St. Julian's


Bays

*
Balluta Bay Balluta Bay is a bay on the northeast coast of Malta within St. Julian's. It is a popular recreation spot used for swimming, diving, and water sports, with a triangular ''pjazza'' surrounded by cafés and shaded by Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastr ...
*Spinola Bay * St. George's Bay *St. Julian's Bay


Notable places and locations

*
Balluta Buildings Balluta Buildings is an Art Nouveau apartment block overlooking Balluta Bay in St Julian's, Malta, St Julian's, Malta. It was built in 1928 for the Marquis John Scicluna, and it was constructed to designs of Giuseppe Psaila. The building is consi ...
*
Palazzina Vincenti Palazzina Vincenti is a residential building overlooking Balluta Bay in St Julian's, Malta, St Julian's, Malta. It was built in 1948 by architect Gustavo R. Vincenti as his own residence, and it is considered to be one of the best examples of Mode ...
* Dragonara Point *Il-Qaliet *
Paceville Paceville ( sometimes abbreviated PV) is a district in St Julian's which is the main nightlife hub in Malta, being heavily populated with nightclubs, bars, strip clubs, pubs and restaurants. It is hence also known as 'Malta's Sin City'. Pacev ...
*
Portomaso __NOTOC__ The Portomaso Business Tower (, often referred to by locals as simply "Portomaso") is a high-rise office building in Malta. The tower stands in the Portomaso section of St. Julian's, a town just north of Malta's capital city, Valletta. O ...
*
Mercury Tower The Mercury Tower is a high-rise, mixed-use building in St. Julian's, Malta. At tall, it has been Malta's tallest building since 2020 when it overtook the Portomaso Tower upon its topping out. The building has 32 floors of mixed residential an ...
*
Ta' Giorni Saint Julian's () is a town in the Eastern Region of Malta. As of 2020, its registered number of inhabitants stands at 13,792. It is situated along the coast, north of the country's capital, Valletta. It is known for tourism-oriented businesse ...
*Villa Rosa *Wied Ħarq Ħamiem *Wied tal-Balluta *Love Statue by Richard England * Villa Leoni * Villa Priuli * Villa Blanche * Villa Cassar Torreggiani *
Saint George's Tower Saint George's Tower (; ) is a small watchtower in St. Julian's, Malta. It was built in 1638 and is one of the 10 Lascaris towers built between 1637 and 1652. Today, it is located in the grounds of a hotel. History Saint George's Tower is lo ...
*Monument of
Ċensu Tabone Vincent "Ċensu" Tabone, (; 30 March 1913 – 14 March 2012) was the fourth president of Malta who also served as Minister and Nationalist Party (Malta), Nationalist MP. Early years Vincent Tabone was the son of Niccolò and Elisa Tabone, the y ...


Religious monuments and churches

* Statue of St. Julians in Triq il-Kbira * Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Xatt ta' Spinola * Church of the Immaculate Conception in Triq San Gorg * Statue of the Assumption in Triq Lapsi * Niche of the Immaculate Conception in Telgha ta' Birkirkara * Church of the Madonne of Good Council in Triq il-Knisja * Church of Santa Rita * Millenium Chapel * Poor Clares' Monastery * Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Carmelite Convent) * Convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus School


Local council

The local council is made up of the following members: Guido Dalli (Mayor) Clayton Luke Mula (Deputy Mayor) Adrian Domenic Ellul Martin John Sultana Patricia Camilleri John Agius Rita Dimech Portelli Sean Gauci


Notable events

*The St Julian's
feast A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes inc ...
is held on the last Sunday of August. *The
Battle of Malta poker tournament The Battle of Malta is an annual no-limit Texas hold 'em variation poker tournament in Malta. The event was founded by PokerListings.com in 2012 and is now run by Casino Malta. Designed for low- to mid-stakes poker players, the event has gone f ...
*The Trafford Mersey Debrief.


Sports

St. Julian's is represented by the football team Melita F.C., formed in 1933. Their greatest honour in Maltese football to date is their 4–0 victory over neighbours
Sliema Wanderers Sliema Wanderers Football Club, nicknamed "tax-Xelin" ( of the shilling), is a professional Maltese football club. It is the most successful team in Malta and hails from the seaside town of Sliema. It currently plays in the Maltese Premier Leagu ...
in the
Maltese Cup The FA Trophy, currently known as the Meridianbet FA Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual football cup competition that takes place in Malta. The cup was founded in 1933; following a match between England and Italy, played in Rome in May 1 ...
final in 1939. In recent years, Melita have also competed in the
Maltese Premier League The Maltese Premier League, known as 360Sports Malta Premier for sponsorship reasons with 360Sports (colloquialism, colloquially known as ''Il-Kampjonat Premjer''), is the highest level of professional football in Malta. Managed by the Malta Foot ...
and presently compete in the 3rd tier of Maltese football in the newly formed National Amateur League. Waterpolo is the sport that brings people to this town. Neptunes WPSC, the local Waterpolo team has been in the top of Maltese Waterpolo league tables since it was established in 1929. The club enjoys well equipped training facilities situated along the beach front. Nearby San Giljan A.S.C has also been a strong player on the local scene with consecutive title wins as well as winners of the league in 2015. Squash is also a common sport to play in St. Julian's. Post football season beverage competitions are also very popular.


Notable people born in St. Julian's

*
Roberta Metsola Roberta Metsola (; ; born 18 January 1979) is a Malta, Maltese politician who has served as the president of the European Parliament since January 2022. She is a member of Malta's Nationalist Party (Malta), Nationalist Party (PN) and the European ...
, president of the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
* Emma Muscat, singer from one of
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
's wealthiest families, represented Malta in the
Eurovision Song Contest 2022 The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 was the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Turin, Italy, following the country's victory at the with the song "" by MÃ¥neskin. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and h ...


See also

* Manwel Dimech Bridge * St. Julian's Choral Group


References


External links


St Julian's local council
English language homepage of St Julian's local council
List of monuments in St. Julian'sNeptumes WPC websiteSan Giljan Waterpolo Club websiteSt Julians Local Council
{{Authority control Towns in Malta Local councils of Malta