The Valletta Waterfront, is a
promenade
An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cle ...
in
Floriana
Floriana ( mt, Il-Furjana or ''Il-Floriana''), also known by its title Borgo Vilhena, is a fortified town in the South Eastern Region area of Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta. It has a population of 2,205 as of March 2014. Floriana ...
,
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 ...
, mainly featuring three prominent buildings: a
church in the middle, the Pinto Stores or the ''Pinto Wharf'' on the left, and the Forni Stores or the ''Forni Shopping Complex'' on the right. The buildings were originally stores and warehouses, built in the 18th century, and the design is attributed to
Andrea Belli.
The building project was officiated on 10 August 1752, with a mass festivity. The ''Forni Stores'' were used as the first British naval bakeries in Malta and were used for this function until 1844. The area is now a hub in Malta's cruise liner business as the ''Forni Cruise Passenger Terminal'', and hosts a concentration of bars, retail outlets, and restaurants. The area was and remains a venue for several concerts and events.
History
The ''Valletta Marina'' was first developed in July 1727 by Grand Master Anton Manuel de Vilhena when, according to a notarial deed of Gaspard Dominic Chircop, "a store-house with marble oil-vats" was built.
Further stores and warehouse were added in 1752, that included 19 imposing stores and a church, built by Grandmaster
Manuel Pinto de Fonseca. The buildings, including the stores and the church, have a Baroque design attributed to
Andrea Belli.
The area was devastated by aerial bombardment in
World War II, due to its proximity to the
Malta Dockyard
Malta Dockyard was an important naval base in the Grand Harbour in Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. The infrastructure which is still in operation is now operated by Palumbo Shipyards.
History Pre-1800
The Knights of Malta established dockyard ...
and the British naval forces in
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 ...
. Some of the stores were completely destroyed during the war.
The area was thoroughly restored and renovated. Some buildings, which had been completely or partially destroyed in the WWII, saw their facades rebuilt at the exclusion of the interior.
The area behind these rebuilt facades is now a car park. The doors of the buildings are painted with different colours, symbolising the different types of goods that were once stored in them; blue represents the storage of fish, green for agricultural products, yellow for wheat and red for wine.
The Valletta Waterfront is run by a private consortium who offers management overseeing Malta's cruise liner business. The waterfront hosts roughly twelve restaurants, a number of bars and retail outlets. Various events are held at the area and the close vicinity, such as the
Malta Jazz Festival and the
Malta Fireworks Festival.
The
Church of the Flight into Egypt was built in 1752, along with the stores, was bombed in the Second World War and the damaged parts have since been faithfully rebuilt similar to the original and the original remains were restored. Mass is celebrated at the church every Saturday evening. A bronze image of the face of Jesus was attached to the church and is now found with the façade of the
Co-Cathedral of Saint John in Valletta.
[
The Pinto Stores were included on the Antiquities List of 1925, are a grade 1 national monument] and they are listed on the (NICPMI).[Anon (30 December 2012)]
"125 properties on National Inventory of the Cultural Property"
The Malta Independent
''The Malta Independent'' is a national newspaper published daily 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, betw ...
. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
Further reading
*
References
External links
Official website
{{coord, 35, 53, 24, N, 14, 30, 29, E, type:landmark, display=title
Commercial buildings completed in 1752
Tourist attractions in Malta
Wharves
Redeveloped ports and waterfronts in Malta
Floriana
Baroque architecture in Malta
Bakeries of Malta
Office buildings in Malta
Government buildings in Malta
Limestone buildings in Malta
National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands