Just as in 1940 - the Lascaris War Rooms with original code-breaking machines and maps

Malta attracts a lot of tourism from people who were stationed here with the British forces, as well as from their descendants. Living memory stretches from World War II until the last naval bases closed and the British forces left in 1979. To help them and anyone else interested in exploring Malta’s 160 years of British rule, we’ve listed the main places and museums that recall this past; as well as note the British-influence on current-day Maltese life, from language to driving on the left. For a potted history of Malta under British rule, click here.

But you don’t have to visit museums or go out of your way to discover the British military or architectural history. Simply walk the Victoria Lines defences for some fresh air and views. Play spot the red phone box or postbox – good one to do with kids. In Valletta, hunt out Strait Street with its old music halls that were so popular with British forces up to around the 60s. Or see if you can find a notice for a Victory Kitchen.

For Kids
Don’t think that British military history is just of interest to older generations. I’ve had groups of kids enthralled by the Aviation Museum, Malta at War Museum, Lascaris War Rooms and Fort Rinella. Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna runs the last three, and specialises in British historical sites and in bringing the British era alive. It’s amazing how many hours you can spend at Fort Rinella where, in theory, there’s just one enormous 100-tonne gun to see! The Lascaris War Rooms in Valletta, a war-time bunker command and control room, was a kiddy hit with its British version of the German Enigma machines and enormous maps.

British influence today
There’s a strong affinity between the Maltese and the British. It’s an easy place for Brits to visit, what with English a joint official language and widely spoken, driving on the left, cups of tea with lots of milk, and familiar names around – from shop fronts to street names. Battered old vehicles still on our roads, like Bedford vans, Ford Anglias and Triumphs, can take you back to ’50s – 70s Britain in a flash. Then there are red post boxes (good examples in Valletta and on the Sliema front) and red telephone boxes (again, in Valletta) which are often more common there than on British streets.

British Architecture
When we think of historical buildings in Malta, we tend to think first of the defences and architecture bequeathed us by the Knights of St John. But the British era left a significant mark too – sometimes altering or adding on to the work of the Knights, but also developing afresh. The colonial housing and barracks at Pembroke, the Garrison Church (now the Stock Exchange), in Valletta and the elegant Chamber of Commerce building in lower Republic Street, also in the capital, are examples of notable British architecture – practical but nonetheless with architectural merit. Tigne’ Point has incorporated the arcaded barracks into its development near the Point shopping centre, and you can easily spot Victorian influence in the massive, gothic-style building near Balluta Bay, and in the house on Mdina’s main cathedral square.

Museums with British or wartime exhibits
National War Museum, Fort St Elmo, Valletta: the place to start as it focuses on the two World Wars. Displays the George Cross awarded by King George VI to Malta for the islands’ bravery in WWII.
National Maritime Museum, Birgu Waterfront: This vast museum housed in the old British naval bakery traces Malta’s sea-faring history from Phoenician times to WWII and beyond. Mock-up of a naval waterfront bar, uniforms, navy photographs, letters and memoribilia galore.
Malta at War Museum, Birgu: this new museum, housed in 18th century barracks, tells of the daily hardship and suffering of the islanders during WWII. Malta at War Museum, Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa: Tue – Sun 10.00 to 17.00hrs. Guided tours and film shows on the hour.
Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali: a veritable treasure trove of memoribilia of the R.A.F. in Malta, and Malta’s wartime air defence. Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire in aviation sheds. Great for kids too!
Lascaris War Rooms, Valletta: one of only four WWII military operations rooms remaining, it opened recently again after renovation and is now a fascinating insight into not just WWII operations but also NATO and the Cold War period. Run by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, an NGO restoring and reviving ex-British military sites. Lascaris War Rooms, Lascaris Ditch, Valletta: Mon – Sun 10.00 to 17.00hrs. Guided tours and film shows on the hour.
Mgarr Second World War Shelter: Located under Il-Barri Restaurant, this is one of the largest underground shelters on the islands. Recently restored and open to visitors, it shows the hard life in the shelters for the local farming community. Open: Tue – Sat: 9.00am till 2.00pm; Sun: 9.00am till 11.00am

Forts, Barracks & Fortifications
Pill boxes & Gun Posts: these dot the skyline of Valletta’s perimeter. There’s a pill box now turned cafe-snack bar on the corner of Marasamxett and St Sebastian Streets just before the War Museum. If you do a harbour cruise or get under sail, you’ll see just how many concrete pill boxes there are still preserved around Valletta. For anti-aircraft gun posts, a good example is through the car park at the end of South Street, Valletta, overlooking Marsamxett Harbour.

Fort Rinella, Kalkara
Built in 1878, this is the world’s first mechanical fort and a rare remnant of British military engineering. It houses what was the world’s largest gun – the 100-ton Armstrong, which was placed to protect Valletta’s harbours. Weird, strange and incredible. The tour includes ‘living history’ demos. Open: Tue – Sun 10.00 to 17.00hrs. Historical re-enactment displays at 14.15hrs. Visit the first Sunday in May to experience the gun’s huge blast – the only day a year its fired! Click here for a preview!

Victoria Lines
This line of inland defence – built up with walls, forts and batteries – runs along a natural ‘great fault’ some 12km, in effect dividing southern and northern Malta. The fault has proved a natural defensive ridge since prehistoric times, but it was under British rule in the mid-1870s that it was fortified more extensively. Forts along its length include Fort Madliena, Fort Binġemma, and Fort Mosta – which is open to the public. Join one of three tours Mon-Fri; 09.30 – 12.30.

Pembroke
This area of Malta, just north of the Paceville/St George’s Bay area was the base of British military life in Malta, with its officers’ mess, barracks and married quarters. A drive around Pembroke gives you old, crumbling barracks, those put to new uses, as well as Australia Hall – still standing though somewhat derelict, but once an entertainment venue and cinema built in 1915 – and a host of wonderful street names like Alamein, Normandy and Anzio.

Auberge d’Angleterre, Birgu: first home of the English Knights of St John in Malta before the Order moved to Valletta. Today, it’s home to Birgu Libary. You can pop inside the courtyard and view, but it’s not an official tourist sight.

Outdoor Sights

Dockyards: all the Three Cities area is of interest as the heartland of Malta’s naval history and maritime trade. Good to view from across Grand Harbour, and Upper Barrakka Gardens.

Garden of Rest, Floriana or Msida Bastion Cemetery, or ‘the Protestant Cemetery’: wonderfully tranquil spot with great views of the inner reaches (Msida Creek) of Marsamxett Harbour. Well tended, open to the public. Read the gravestones. Even holds concerts!

Queen Victoria statue, Palace Square Valletta
Victoria Gate, Valletta

Old Saluting Battery: Sited below Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta, the battery not only has the Grand Harbour views, but also offers a chance to learn how cannons worked and were fired in days gone by. Saluting Battery, Valletta: Mon to Sun 10.00 to 13.00hrs. Firing of Noon-day gun at 12.00hrs.

Sir Alexander Ball memorial, Lower Barrakka Gardens. Great views from these gardens out to sea and over the Fallen Soldier and Siege Bell memorials. Sir Alexander Ball was Malta’s last British Governor.

George Cross commemoration plaque on the Palace, Valletta. The Cross itself and King George VI’s message are on display in the War Museum (see above).

St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Valletta

Kenuna Tower, Nadur, Gozo: one of three semaphore towers built by the British in 1848 on the cliffs near Nadur.

Ta’ Qali & Hal-Far airfields: the Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali, is the best source of information on airfield history.

More than a wedding venue; a gem for walkers, heritage lovers & cyclists too

Locals may have come across Castello dei Baroni at a wedding. It’s a popular venue for couples tying the knot who fancy a more secluded reception with some great backdrops for those all-important wedding photos. But it’s now attracting different couples – those who walk, cycle and fancy a sightseeing pit stop. On the Friday morning I visited recently, several chance passers-by, tourists on two legs or two wheels, popped in curious to see what this little crenelated Castello had to offer.

For starters, if you’ve built up a sweat pounding up hill to Wardija from Burmarrad on the main road, you’ll be delighted to find refreshment at its garden cafe (with free Wi-Fi!). You can just pause there enjoying the seclusion and country views in this unspoilt part of Malta. But that would be shame as there’s more to it than a snack.

The Castello, as it’s affectionately known, opened its doors in early 2010 as a bijou but interesting heritage attraction. It was built in 1783 as a baronial hunting lodge during the reign of Grandmaster Emanuel de Rohan. Today, Castello Dei Baroni is used as the headquarters for the Knights Hospitalliers of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem and the Ecumenical Order (more on that in a bit!). It’s actually owned and run though by Chevalier Baron Adrian Busietta and Dame Marie Angelique Caruana, who’ve gone about renovating it, for those weddings first, and now as a mini-museum and info point on the history of the Order.

In fact, this little castle is devoted to giving a unique insight into the Order. A 23-minute film takes you past where others stop – with the Knights leaving Malta in 1798 – right up to the present day. You then tour various rooms that recreate the atmosphere of the lodge in the 18th century: the ‘Grandmaster’s bedroom’ and ‘Hunting room’ for instance, as well as seeing the ‘Supreme Council Chamber’ and a library containing ancient books on doctrine and law. My son loved the regalia of the Knights in a corridor room which documents the various orders – eight in fact, hence the eight-point Maltese cross.

All in all, it’s a pleasant stop over and worth seeking out whether you’re cycling or walking that way or not. It’s also a good place for group outings with meal (pre-booking required and call to discuss details). However you visit, Dame Marie-Angelique and her daughter Tamara give you a personal welcome.

Visitor Info
Castello dei Baroni opens Monday to Friday: 9am – 2pm (booking only after 14.00)
Entrance: Adults: € 8.50 Children/Senior Citizens:€ 6.00. Discounts for groups.
Tel: (+356) 21 581 100/21 573 483 (+356) 79 497 000
Email: info@castellodeibaroni.com
Website: castellodeibaroni.com
Arrival – you can get to Burmarrad by route bus 580, but will need to walk a couple of kilometers up to the Castello from the junction at Scott’s supermarket.
The Castello offers a pick up and drop off service directly from your home or hotel at less than a taxi.
Location map, click here

It's an up close and personal visitor experience here

There is something very charming about the current, slightly shambolic version of the Malta Aviation Museum. “Very real,” said my eight-year old. It’s in hangars – some old, one new – on the old wartime Ta’ Qali airfield which immediately gives the museum a sense of purpose and its place in preserving an intense slice of Malta’s, as well as British military, history.

This is hands-on stuff. You get to touch the aircraft, your child gets to sit in the cockpit of a Fiat G.91R/1B. It takes you back to your own childhood. It’s a boy’s own world, of Airfix models and glue and paint – except here you get glimpses of grown men working on some engine part or lugging some engine oil. It’s like being in a Bob the Builder set, with people fixing things that once were gleaming and cutting edge, and now lie silent, waiting for restoration and love by a new generation. The staff are all volunteers. Pleasant, polite, in an old-fashioned way.

It’s a hotchpotch of aircraft, engines, models and memorabilia. In the old showcases are real artefacts, black and white pictures of an age when air travel was truly something to make the heart beat. Stories of wartime British aces with double-barrelled names, based at Hal Far or Ta’ Qali, who shot German planes and then faded into thin air.

The short film gives you a real feel for Malta’s wartime history. And how it suffered waves of air-raids from German and Italian planes. My son loved the fact the planes he saw in the old film footage were just next to him.

Even the cafeteria is in an Anderson shelter.

You sense that there is a bright future round the corner for the museum which is run as an NGO. It received EU funding for a new main exhibition hangar. So far, its volunteers have done miracles, including rebuilding the Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane from dire states of repair. The Hurricane was pulled from the seabed off Wied iz-Zurrieq in 1995.

Visit it, support it, and remind yourself that Malta received the heaviest payload of bombs in the shortest time of any place in World War II.

Visitor Info
Malta Aviation Museum website
Entrance: Adults € 5; Students € 4.08; Children € 1.50. Special rates for groups by arrangement.
Opening Times: Museum & shop open 7 days a week, 9am – 5pm. Except Good Friday, Easter Sunday, 15 August, Xmas Day & New Year’s Day.
Bus routes: see the museum website for full details.
Location Map

Fort St Angelo - its valiant defence of Malta the reason Birgu is called Citta' Vittoriosa

Birgu to the Maltese, and Vittoriosa to others; to my mind the most beautiful and perfectly preserved of the Three Cities which front Grand Harbour. The city was built by the Knights of St John on a peninsula, with proud Fort St Angelo at its tip, during the early- to mid-Sixteenth Century. After the Great Siege (1565) and the building of Valletta (from 1566 onwards) Birgu’s importance diminished and the Knights moved over the water to take up residence in their new purpose-built fortress city defended by huge bastions and star-shaped Fort St Elmo.

Birgu’s ancient auberges and gracious houses stood largely unchanged until the Second World War when the relentless bombing by the Luftwaffe of the Allied Fleet moored in Dockyard Creek did huge damage to this lovely old city. The tall clock tower that once stood in the main square was hit; the Auberge of Italy was flattened and many other buildings were swept away by the air raids of 1942.

So what is left to see of the city that the Knights of St John built?

The massive bastions and ditches which surround the city remain intact and in the quiet streets of the Colacchio where the Knights lived, you are surrounded by buildings representing several hundred years of architectural history.

In Hilda Tabone Street which leads off the main square there are the Auberges of Provence, Auvergne, France and Aragon (the palaces that quartered the various langues of the Knights). These narrow streets are slowly being restored and the ugly metal-framed windows which destroy the symmetry and proportions of the buildings removed.

Some buildings have been restored and used for the good of the community. For example, the Auberge of England is now the public library. The Inquisitor’s Palace is also open to the public. There is the Maritime Museum in the old Bakery on the Waterfront and exhibitions about the Knights. You can visit also the tunnels and shelters near the Main Gate which were dug during the Second World War and are now open to visitors. The museum there recalls the hardships suffered by residents of the Three Cities during the Malta Blitz.

Post-War neglect of the area and the Maltese prejudice against the Three Cities and their inhabitants means that only recently have the beautiful houses been restored and converted.

Birgu Council is encouraging the inhabitants to be proud of their city and organises many cultural activities to draw visitors to the area. Events such as Birgufest, including an evening of Birgu by Candlelight, and the Feasts of St Lawrence and St Dominic attract as many Maltese residents as tourists and allow people to enjoy the feast for the senses that Birgu offers.

It is pleasure to see that every street and alley is decorated by shrubs and flowers in pots and, amazingly, no one steals them as they might in another locality. It adds to the pleasant ambience as you wander the narrow streets. Cafes and restaurants in the main square, on the Waterfront and in quiet shadowy streets encourage one to linger and savour the atmosphere of this historic city. Spend time watching the small ferry boats (dhajjes) departing for their tours of Grand Harbour or ferrying people across to Valletta, and enjoy a coffee by the marina as you gaze across to Senglea or Kalkara on the other side. A timeless view of tranquility.

Photo: courtesy of Leslie Vella

Soul searching in an Easter passion play at the Carmelite Priory, Mdina

The Carmelite Priory Museum in Mdina, a relatively recent, private museum for Malta, with a ‘pretty nice cafe’ attached, has been using its heritage assets well. Its museum, shop and eatery aside, the Priory is making the most of its vast buildings, spacious corridors, airy courtyard and church as a backdrop to arts and cultural events. It holds regular Wednesday and Saturday lunchtime concerts in its refectory, which make an ideal excuse to escape the busy tourist street outside.

At Easter, the priory is the venue for a passion play with a twist – ‘Is it Me?’ – adapted and directed by the Priory’s manager, Marc Cabourdin, who you’ll usually find overseeing the Old Priory Cafe.

Why a play and why now? Marc explains: “This is the first time we’ve taken such an initiative at the Priory. Easter is a time when many paegants are put up in Malta but most focus upon the sufferings of Jesus. ‘Is It Me?’ is different as it places strong emphasis on the originality of Jesus’s teachings with their underlying message of the importance of love as the centre of all human experience. The radicality of Jesus’s preaching is what led to him being ostracised and to him being accused of blasphemy and then executed. The plot also focuses upon his interaction with the people and gives deeper insight into the roles of Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas.”

Earlier in life, Marc spent four years in London as an actor and reading for an MA in acting and theatre, so it’s little wonder that the Priory is taking this turn.

Without giving the play away….”Is it me?”, is an adaptation of the well-known Easter play “Son of Man”, by Dennis Potter, which was originally produced by the BBC for television. It lets you see the choices that had to be made for those events which changed the face of history. The Priory’s adaptation is very much a team effort of all the cast.

Cast: Steffan Cherriet Busuttil, Tyron Grima, Jean Pierre Agius, Joanna Caruana, Justin Fenech, Keith Pavia, David Chircop, and Wesley Ellul.

Further info:
Dates: March 27 – 29, at 20.00.
Time: 8:00pm.
Admission: €10.00, concessions €8.00.
Venue phone: +356 27020404.
email: info@carmelitepriorymuseum.com
Site: www.carmelitepriorymuseum.com

Photo: courtesy of the Priory. Stefan Cheriet Busuttil in the role of Jesus.

Wignacourt Tower, as it was c.1863 (before the buildings and the road encroached!)

At some point on a visit to Malta, you’re bound to spot a coastal defence tower dating from the time of the Knights of St John. Summer visitors reclining on Ghajn Tuffieha or Golden Bay beaches will see one rising on the rocky peninsula between the bays. Another easy-to-spot tower acts as a cafe on the Sliema to St Julian’s seafront.

Until recently, I’d never visited one. But my son’s fascination for these ‘mini-castles’ as he put it meant we ended up twice at the Wignacourt Tower in St Paul’s Bay within as many weeks. Amazingly, given the tower’s small, squat shape, we spent a good hour or more over the detailed displays of maps, texts and models and enjoyed a very thorough guided talk.

Malta’s national trust, Din l’Art-Helwa, runs Wignacourt Tower and last month, February 2010, it celebrated the 400th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the tower. It also marked the 34th anniversary of the restoration on the tower by Din l-Art Helwa.

Victor Rizzo, the treasurer of the organisation, talks here about Wignacourt, Malta’s oldest surviving coastal tower.

Wignacourt Tower

The first coastal tower constructed by the Knights was built overlooking Mgarr harbour in Gozo in 1605 and named Garzes Tower after Grand Master Fra Martin Garzes who left personal funds in his will for the building of this tower.

In order to increase the coastal defences of the Maltese Islands, Grand Master Wignacourt, offered to build more towers at his own expense. The first tower was constructed in St Paul’s Bay and the Grand Master personally attended for the blessing of the foundation stone on 10 February, 1610. The tower was rightly named after the Grand Master. Its design is attributed to the Maltese architect Vittorio Cassar.

As Garzes Tower was demolished by the British in the 19th century, it leaves Wignacourt Tower as the oldest surviving coastal defence post on the Maltese Islands.

Layout & Living Quarters
The original entrance to Wignacourt Tower was through a stone staircase which led to the upper floor; from here, occupants would have to use a rope or ladder to descend to the floor below (today’s entrance at road level). Though the staircase was eventually removed to make way for the road, the original arched entrance and door still remain. The present main entrance on the ground floor is, unfortunately, not the original.

The soldier in charge of the defence of the tower lived on the upper floor. He had his bed, a place for a fire with a ventilation shaft, a toilet, and a well for fresh water. Timber holes in the walls suggest the existence of a secondary wooden floor, supported on beams, intended to provide sleeping quarters. The lower floor was accessible through a trap door and used for storage. A spiral staircase is now in place for visitors.

The Tower in Action
The garrison of Wignacourt Tower, which was commanded by a master bombardier, kept watch for signs of approaching enemy ships. In 1614, only four years after construction, a strong attack by a Turkish fleet was launched. It seems that at the sight of the tower, the fleet entered through Mellieha which was not defended until the building of the Red Fort in 1649.

In 1715, a coastal battery was added to the tower to increase its fire power. The armaments throughout most of the 18th century consisted of two 6-pounder iron cannon, similar to the one deployed on the roof, and three 18-pounder iron cannon placed on the battery at the foot of the tower on its seaward side.

In the 19th century, the tower was used as a police station and as a telegraph post. In 1970, the Lands Department leased the tower to Din l-Art Helwa after a call in the Government Gazette. The restoration was inaugurated on 10 February 1976.

The Tower as a Museum today
The tower now houses a small museum. In 1998, an exhibition of models of fortifications around Malta, set up by Dr. Stephen Spiteri (now Superintendent of Fortifications) was opened. The upper floor houses reproductions of items to show how the occupants of the tower used to live and the armaments they used. In the roof turrets some old photos of the tower are exhibited together with other pictures related to Grand Master Wignacourt and his times. On the roof, is a restored cannon.

Visitor Information
The tower is open to visitors from Monday to Saturday from 9.30 till noon for a small fee of €2. For further information, see the Din l’Art-Helwa website.

Despite the ravages of time and war, Bir Miftuh is immaculately preserved today

Din l-Art Helwa is an NGO founded in 1965 to safeguard the historic, artistic and natural heritage of Malta. Here, Victor Rizzo, the treasurer of the organisation, kicks off a series about the key cultural heritage properties managed by the organisation in Malta, Gozo and Comino which are open to the public. This piece is about the ancient chapel of Bir Miftuh, which stands opposite Malta International Airport. Glance right as you exit MIA to catch a glimpse of it.

The Chapel of Santa Maria ta’ Bir Miftuh is an outstanding example of medieval architecture. Built almost 600 years ago, it saw the arrival of the Knights, was desecrated by the Turks during the Great Siege of 1565 and suffered bomb damage in the Second World War. Located in Gudja, it is one of the best preserved examples of a parish church of the 15th century. It was declared a parish in 1436 by Bishop Senatore de Mello and served as such until 1676 when the Parish Church of Gudja was built. It was never in the centre of a village but was had parish church status and served several villages.

The chapel is free standing and shows a growing confidence in the handling of stone structures. It is simple and austere in design, with fine pointed stone arches on which rest the long stone roof slabs. It has a plain rectangular plan and measures about 11 by 14 metres.

The chapel was originally larger and built in the shape of a cross. In the 16th century the rear end of the chapel was demolished and the stones were used in the construction of the present parish church of Gudja. An imposing belfry, a 16th century addition, perches proudly over the main doorway. No bells are in place. Legend has it that these bells were hastily buried in the soil during the Great Siege of 1565. They are still waiting to be discovered.

The altar was brought from another chapel and dates from the 16th century. The altar painting is on wood and probably belongs to the second half of the same century and depicts the figure of God holding a Crucifix surrounded by angels at the top of the panel. The lower part shows a hilly landscape with the Virgin and Child on clouds flanked by St Peter and St Paul.

Over the centuries the chapel suffered from neglect and lack of use. It was close to total collapse until the Ecclesiastical Authorities gave the chapel to Din l-Art Helwa in Trust in 1970. Restoration started in 1973 and was generously sponsored by Malta International Airport, which continues to support it to this day.

During restoration, the remains of a fresco covering the wall facing the altar were discovered under thick layers of lime. The fresco depicts the Last Judgment and is divided into three tiers of figures. The upper tier shows the Apostles and Mary with the figure of Christ in the centre. The figures below this tier represent Mary, a hand holding a sword representing St Paul, St James and St Andrew, St Lawrence, St Benedict holding a church model, Peter the Martyr, and possibly St Catherine holding the palm of martyrdom. The figures above this tier show a kneeling saint representing St John the Baptist, four unknown female saints, St Ursula holding a pike-staff and St Barbara holding a model of a round tower.

The second tier shows the damned being led away to the fiery pits of hell by demons with horns, tails and webbed feet. On the left side one can make out the wing of an angel and the back of one of the faithful being drawn towards God and the Virgin Mary.

The lower tier probably depicts the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. On the north wall, in the first bay, there is a picture of a woman, in a costume fashionable in the 16th century, holding a lily in one hand and pointing to the main altar painting with the other.

The frescoes were expertly restored and regular inspections are carried out. Further restoration involved the repair of all walls and a leaking roof. The floor laid in 1942 was replaced with globigerina limestone flagstones, and the exterior areas adjacent to the walls were paved. In 2004, restoration of the churchyard at the back of the chapel was completed.

The Chapel is an ideal setting for the Bir Miftuh International Music Festival held regularly in the Summer by Din l-Art Helwa since 1997. It is open for visitors the first Sunday of the month from 9.30 till noon.

For more details on Din l-Art Helwa, see the website or e-mail info@dinlarthelwa.org

Let the conversation flow (along with a little wine). Food, Wine, Art lectures at Palazzo Falson.

Note: We’ve been informed that these lectures won’t be taking place as Prof. Variana is unable to come over to Malta for now. We’ll keep you posted when they’re rescheduled.

Not all culture comes at a price as February’s series of free lectures at Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum in Mdina proves. What’s more, these particular talks have an added bonus – they come complete with free tastings of wine, Renaissance cookbook-inspired foods and extra virgin locally pressed olive oils.

What an enlightened trio of cultural pursuits. The lectures are a winning formula for getting us to appreciate an historic venue and learn something new, and also an ingenious way of the museum marrying its collection with some complementary, lively events.

The Food, Wine & Art lecture programme
Palazzo Falson has invited a visiting art historian, Prof. John Varriano, to give two, two-hour lectures on food, wine & art, each one covering two distinct themes. The sessions (including tastings) are completely free of charge, but booking is essential to secure a place (and we advise you book fast as seats are limited). To book, tel: +356 2145 4512 or +356 2145 1021, or email: info@palazzofalson.com.

Friday 12th February (1400-1600hrs):
1. “Wine and Health, Wine and Death” first discusses the presumed therapeutic benefits of wine as brought down to us through the ages, and goes on to examine its changing metaphorical associations with memento mori, or images of death, in ancient and Early Modern times.

Wine Tasting & sampling of food inspired by Renaissance cookbooks (researched and prepared by Matty Cremona). Sponsored by Marsovin and Wardija Extra Virgin.

2. “Erotic Appetites” focuses on paintings of food that embody two genres of Renaissance allusion, the first exploiting the sexually suggestive shapes of certain fruits and vegetables, and the second linking the eating habits of the different social classes to stereotypical notions of sexuality and procreative success.

Saturday 20th February (1030-1230hrs):
1. “Eggs, Butter, Lard, and Oil” traces the evolution of the binders used in Renaissance art and cuisine, noting the importance of oil in particular for the signature characteristics of both cultural expressions.

Oil Tasting & sampling of food inspired by Renaissance cookbooks (researched and prepared by Matty Cremona). Sponsored by Wardija Extra Virgin and Marsovin.

2. “Edible Art” introduces the art of trionfi da tavola, edible table decorations that routinely embellished Renaissance and Baroque banquets.

Prof. John Varriano taught Art History at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts from 1970, until his retirement in June, 2009. He is a specialist in the art of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods in Italy, and the author of five books and more than four dozen articles. His latest interests combine the history of art with the history of gastronomy.

Kiosk Kitsch - American diner style. Just one of the wonders of this walk.

If you mention Qawra, Bugibba and St Paul’s Bay all in the same breath to a local, it’s likely to trigger the same emotions as mentioning ‘Bognor’ to someone from Britain. That is, images of a slightly tawdry traditional seaside town that’s seen better days.

These northern resort towns in Malta are largely the domain of British tourists, and the Maltese traders here – from hoteliers to street hawkers – tend to offer up goods and services that will look very familiar to any British person. One hoarding today advertising a snack bar had the words ‘chip butty’ on it. I am not sure continental visitors – and there were some Germans and Italians walking the front today – would know what that is.

But in winter, the couple of kms walk are largely reclaimed by the Maltese – you’ll see sporty, Lycra-clad power walkers, joggers, and lots of families with pull-along sit-on toys, bikes with outriders and buggies just about making it to McDonald’s. Here, an outdoor play area can work out any extra energy the kids have left (though the Golden Arches has removed the much-loved castle replacing it with a ‘gym’ that seems only open when animation is on hand).

There are plenty of things to amuse you (and any kids) on the way. Kiosks take pride of place, underlying the Maltese propensity to never be far away from refreshments.  Many of them are open on a Sunday walk, serving anything from hot and cold drinks to meals.  They also provide shelter from the wind, and rest for tired legs. Here are some other highlights en route:

1. Planets for the kids
The Malta Astronomical Society has devised a ‘planet walk’ with scale models of our solar system along the Qawra to Bugibba stretch. Kids love rotating the planets and reading the info on them, and racing to find the next one!

2. Views of St Paul’s islands
Don’t look landward (at the architectural mishaps dating from the ’60s – ’80s), look seaward. This front has some of the most interesting views of any paved stretch of coastline. Natural, rugged parts, St Paul’s Island with its statue, Selmum palace on the ridge across the bay, and so on. Just before the Wignacourt Tower are mounted binoculars (50c to view) with narration (choose from around five languages) about St Paul’s Island. It’s called, apparently, ‘religious tourism’ by the Malta Tourism Authority.

3. Spray & Wind
This side of Malta tends to get the prevailing winds in winter, so even when you’re well back from the sea, the wind blasts the spray your way. As you round the Bugibba bay area, expect to get wet if the wind is very strong! It’s exhilerating though, and a great New Year’s walk.

4. Name & Sign spotting
In the built-up stretch in Bugibba, enjoy spotting weird shop names on establishments, open all hours and days, selling various souvenirs, jewellery, papers and unclassifiable goods. Bars, kiosks and restaurants have great names too. A particularly amusing sign post indicates that ‘horse bathing’ is not permissible here. Anyone seen this road sign in another country, I wonder?

5. Wacky street furniture & public loos
As you round corner on the last part towards Wignacourt Tower, the seafront takes on a more contemporary feel in its lighting and in the ship’s bow design of the concrete stairway to the higher road. We’ve changed local council district here, and it shows! In the same style is the latest in public toilets right by Sirens’ Waterpolo pitch and restaurant-bar. These have to be the ultimate in public conveniences in Malta, so use them before the graffiti takes hold.

6. Wignacourt Tower
A perfect end to the walk, this stocky watch tower was built by order of Grand Master Olof de Wignacourt in 1610 and is the oldest surviving one in Malta. It is run by Malta’s National Trust, Din l- Art-Helwa (this fair land, in literal translation). Trust volunteers open it most days, but do check the website for full details of opening times. The Sunday we were there, the man in charge was exceptionally knowledgeable and gave our group a comprehensive guided tour of this small, but charming heritage site. His talk covered the entire history of the Knights in Malta plus copious details about their fortifications and defences.

Photo: Alex Grech

A weekend of blending cutural pleasures - wine, art, books - at Valletta's Fine Arts Museum

Valletta may be more well known for its history and cultural past than its cultural present. But it’s been doing very well of late in living up to its name as it plays host to all sorts of literary, musical, artistic, festive, theatrical and gastronomic events, month in month out.

This weekend sees another art and wine special at the National Museum of Fine Arts, South Street, with a programme throughout 28 & 29 November. The event is aimed at giving us ‘ a passport to enter a world of colours, visit amazing places and meet interesting people…’.

So, it’s a bit of a medley really, but sounds worth investigating, especially if you’ve kids in tow, or are at a loose end – Sunday afternoon, characters in historical costume will be walking the museum’s corridors! And adults might like the ‘Art & Wine @ South Street’ on Saturday evening – another in what’s become a series of such evenings. This time, Maltese contemporary artist Caesar Attard is discussing his works.

Midsea Books, which is co-hosting the event along with Heritage Malta, has a range of their Melintensia books on sale, to complement the talks, presentations, exhibits, and films.

Other highlights:
Saturday at 11.00 hrs, art historian Lino Borg will discuss printing techniques; and there will be what are described as ‘historic films’ screened in the afternoon.
Sunday morning sees a special presentation of Midsea Book’s publication of The Year Baroque Painting in Malta, delivered by its author Keith Sciberras PhD. Sunday afternoon, graphic artist Mark Scicluna, designer of a set of five bookmarks featuring artists represented in the National Collection, will be around.
Fun & Fact:
There are story-telling sessions at times throughout the weekend, as well as special tours for those who may not have ventured into the world of art before. The event also includes music, book prizes and a quiz desk.

Admission:
Entrance to the museum will be free on Saturday and Sunday but donations are welcomed. Further information from Heritage Malta.