JasonsMaltatours

19/12/2024

"I’m excited to share that my Google Drive local tour guide profile has reached an incredible milestone of 777,000 views! However, I currently have only 40 followers, and I would love your support to grow this community.

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Level 6 Local Guide | 3,186 Points

24/02/2024

15/01/2024

St. Paul’s Catacombs Highlights!

Explore Malta's ancient burial grounds with our guide!

Stop 1: Uncover Secrets at the Visitor's Center!
Discover the interconnected Roman catacombs named after St Paul's grotto. Learn about Malta's earliest Christian evidence and the unique blend of Roman burial practices.

Stop 2: Dive into Rich Roman Traditions!
Witness a funeral mural portraying extravagant Roman funerals. Fascinating details about rich and poor burial practices, the use of mimes, and even ancient mourning rituals.

**St. Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat: A Hidden City Below!
Entering through Malta's largest early Christian burial grounds. Uncover the mysteries of diverse tomb types, agape tables, and the unique multicultural history beneath Rabat.

Get ready to be transported into Malta's fascinating past! 🚀🇲🇹

14/01/2024

Barrakka Gardens, situated on this promontory, provides an unobstructed, sweeping view of the natural Mediterranean harbour, serving as a picturesque backdrop for the three cities: Birgu, Senglea, and Cospicua. These resilient and charming cities, having weathered various challenges, are well worth exploring.

Emerging from a historical context shaped by sieges, these gardens have experienced the necessity of changing allegiances during times of war. Positioned on the highest tier of the 16th-century St. Peter & St. Paul Bastion, we overlook the Saluting Battery below, the very site from which the Ottomans relentlessly fired upon Fort St Angelo during the notable siege of 1565. Fort St Angelo, visible at the tip of the bastioned city across from us, served as a medieval castle called Castrum Maris before being transformed into the grand bastioned structure during the Knights of St John's era.

The Ottomans targeted Fort St Angelo because controlling Birgu was crucial for any military power aspiring to rule the Maltese islands. Birgu, also known as Vittoriosa, was strategically positioned in the Grand Harbour. During the Great Siege of 1565, Fort St Angelo functioned as the headquarters of the Order of Saint John, while this promontory served as an invasion settlement. Positioned across the water, facing the fort, the enemy could use heavy bronze cannons to attack Vittoriosa and Senglea.

This historical episode significantly influenced the Knights' decision to construct Valletta on this very location following the Ottomans' departure. Interestingly, Fort St Angelo also played a role in the filming of Game of Thrones, with its dungeons serving as a stand-in for the Red Keep's dungeons, notably in the scene where Arya is chasing cats.

14/01/2024

Wignacourt's Fountain - The phrase "Omnibus Idem" translates to "everyone is the same." These words are inscribed beneath the coat of arms on the left side of the fountain. The coat of arms atop the fountain belongs to Grandmaster Alof de Wignacourt, who spearheaded a project to bring essential water to Valletta from natural springs in Rabat. Valletta, being a newly established city, attracted a growing population seeking residence within its fortifications. The scarcity of water in the city posed a significant inconvenience. In response, Grandmaster Wignacourt personally financed the ambitious initiative to supply water to the city.

To achieve this, a system of aqueducts, still bearing Wignacourt's name, was constructed. Numerous fountains were subsequently built in Valletta to receive the water, and one such fountain is the Wignacourt Fountain, established in 1615. Originally located further down the road at the site of the Buttigieg Francia Building, these fountains served the specific purpose of providing drinking water. It was strictly forbidden to use the water for washing hands or clothes. Stringent measures were in place to deter pollution of the water, and individuals, regardless of their status as commoners or VIPs, would face prosecution if caught violating these regulations.

14/01/2024

Parliament Building - The creations of an influential Italian architect, born in the 20th century, have garnered significant attention worldwide. Renzo Piano's cutting-edge and post-modern designs have become a topic of conversation in numerous countries, including Malta, where they have been a focal point for several years. Specifically, Piano's architectural prowess is showcased in the Maltese Parliament Building. Drawing inspiration from the honey-coloured Maltese stone and its erosion patterns, he designed the upper floors of the parliamentary structure. The ground floor, enveloped in glass, symbolises transparency in the overall design.

19/12/2023

Considered as a monument of the Maltese architect Tommaso Dingli, the old parish church of St. Mary of Birkirkara ranks right up there among the country’s ecclesiastical architectural gems.

The 17th century church, built with a Renaissance style, was astonishingly abandoned for many years and its roof and dome partially collapsed in 1830 before being completely destroyed by the 1856 earthquake. It remained in ruins right up to the mid-20th century.

It has a long history of structural problems caused by foundations based on different geological layers that have caused considerable damage over the years due to differentiated subsidence. In May, an agreement was reached by the authorities for its restoration. The Curia-led project will be partly funded by the European Union.

During the 1980s, the demolished parts were rebuilt but they continued to form structural issues that were indicative that the problems in the foundations had not been resolved.

MORE ABOUT
From Wikipedia.

The church of St. Mary is located outside the historic centre of Birkirkara, and it was built on a hill so as to be protected from corsair attacks. In the medieval period, a church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and St. Helen existed on the site of the present church. A cemetery and two small chapels were found in the vicinity.

Construction of the present church began in the early 17th century, probably in 1615 or 1616. Work on the church continued throughout the century, and the interior was almost completed by 1646. The dome was finished in around 1656, while the belfry was built in around 1679.

The Renaissance-styled church's façade has Corinthian pilasters, and the cental bay has an arched main doorway flanked by columns on either side. The door is topped by five escutcheons containing coats of arms, including those of King Philip II of Spain, Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, Bishop Baldassare Cagliares and the parish priest Don Filippo Borg. The stonework around the doorway and the coats of arms is very ornate, and it is probably influenced by the Spanish Plateresque style. Each of the two side bays contains three empty niches. Bullet marks, dating to the French occupation of Malta, are present on the side of the church. Some graffiti dating to the Hospitallers period can be found on the side façade.

The church's interior is ornate, with sculpture forming an integral part of the building.

It became a parish again in 2005. It is one of three parishes in Birkirkara, along with those of St. Helen and St. Joseph the worker.

Photo Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg
For all my latest photos, please visit and like Kappa Vision on Facebook

19/12/2023

Il-Mithna in Birkirkara, Malta.

One of the most famous windmills on the Maltese islands is this one in a busy part of Birkirkara.

It is known as the Mithna ta' Ganu or tal-Maħlut, a Maltese word for a mixture, in this case referring to a mixture of wheat and hops used for making bread.

The windmill was built in 1724 by Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena's Foundation. It remained in use till 1929. Afer World War II it was converted into a blacksmith's worshop before subsequently falling into a state of neglect and abandon for a long period of time.

Between the late 1980s and beginning of the 1990s, the building was entrusted to Maltese artist Gabriel Caruana who renovated it and turned it into a venue for art exhibitions. These include his own artwork as well as that of other artists who express themselves in the modern idioms.

Photo Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg
For all my latest photos, please visit and like Kappa Vision on Facebook

19/12/2023

19/12/2023

A timeless poverty seems to linger in these alleys, but they remain a feature of ’s built vernacular architectural heritage - a heritage that occupies a central place in the affection and pride of the . They have been accepted as a characteristic and attractive product of our society and are today part of our country’s charm.

👇Inżel l-isfel biex taqra bil-Malti / Scroll down to read in Maltese 👇

BIRKIRKARA’S ALLEYS OF DEVOTION

Scattered along the old streets around the parish church of the Maltese town of Birkirkara are a series of picturesque alleys. Bużawra Alley is one of them.

Home to an average of 25,000 people, Birkirkara is one of the most populated towns in Malta - and one with a very rich history, too.

Records on Birkirkara date back to the late 1400s, making it one of the oldest towns on the island.

It has four parishes, with the biggest dedicated to St. Helen.

The religious devotion of the Karkariżi (the people from Birkirkara) is high, as can be witnessed by the many chapels and small churches present in this locality in central Malta.

Another showcase of the deoviton of the people here is the many niches and street shrines that embellish the city's narrow streets.

BUŻAWRA ALLEY

Located to the right of the parish church and close to another church, that of St. Roque, St. Julian Street is an old road that has remained pretty much unchanged over time, packing an abundance of local charm and a niche of Our Lady of Sorrows tucked away under an arched passageway in one of its alleys, Bużawra Alley.

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BIL-MALTI

Fuq in-naħa tal-lemin tal-knisja parrokkjali ta’ Birkirkara insibu b***a sqaqin pittoreski. Wieħed minnhom hu Sqaq Bużawra. Dan jinsab ftit il-fuq mil-kappella ta’ Santu Rokku, fi Triq San Ġiljan, hu għadu l-istess bħal ma kien dari. Taħt loġġa li tinstab f’dan l-isqaq insibu niċċa ddedikata lid-Duluri.

Photo Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg.
References:
- ICOMOS, International council on monuments and sites, “Charter of the Built Vernacular Heritage”, Stockholm, September 10, 1998.
For all my latest photos, please visit and like Kappa Vision on Facebook, kappavision_gram on Instagram KappaVision on Twitter and kappavision on Vero. When sharing, DO NOT repost, but FEEL FREE to share directly from Kappa Vision.

19/12/2023

Through the ages, the people of Birkirkara have always sought the help of Our Lady through their prayers in times of difficulty. So a long time ago the Karkariżi built this church and dedicated it to the birth of the Virgin Mary, continuing to show praise to her through all this time.

THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF VICTORIES IN BKARA

Immersed within the maze of narrow streets in the old part of Birkirkara, the Church of Our Lady of Victories is a small church found in Victory Street in the area of Birkirkara known as 'Ħas Sajjied'.

ORIGINS

No-one knows for certain when this church was first built. The church was however known to have existed as far back as 1575 in notes made by Pope delegate Bishop Pietro Dusina during a pastoral visit he made to the church. In his report, Dusina mentions that the church was built in a cemetery belonging to another nearby church that was dedicated to St. Leonard (San Anard). During Dusina’s visit, the church needed some repair work but it did at least have doors, something that many churches of the time did not. Its altar was not in a good state. The church had neither a rector nor funds for its maintenance. Funds were only available for the celebration of mass on feast day and these were provided by a certain Franġisk Borg.

THE CHURCH DECLARED UNFIT FOR WORSHIP BUT REMAINED IN USE

In 1615 this church was again mentioned by Bishop Cagliaris during a pastoral visit he made in the village of Birkirkara.

Three years later, in 1618, a decree was issued prohibiting the use of the church for public worship due to the bad state it was in. With the decree, everything housed within the church would have to be transferred to the church of St. Leonard near it. But despite this decree, the church of Our Lady of Victories still continued serving the spiritual needs of the local faithful.

DISMANTLED AND DECONSECRATED TO BUILD THE OLD PARISH CHURCH

A curious fact relating to this church happened in the mid-17th century.

In front of the church of Our Lady of Victories and that of St. Leonard, a large quarry was opened in order to supply the stones needed to build the parish church of St. Mary, today known as “il-Knisja il-Qadima” (the Old Church). In a decree dated 12th June 1655, the Our Lady of Victories church was to be dismantled up to its foundations so as to facilitate the transportation of the stones cut from the quarry that was supplying the stones needed for the construction of the parish church.

Thus, the church was deconsecrated in 1659.

REBUILT AFTER THE QUARRY WAS CLOSED

With the closure of the quarry, the Vitorja church was rebuilt on the same foundations in the period after the 1675–1676 Malta plague epidemic. Forty one locals, led by Pietru Buhagiar and Ġian Maria Micallef, met the notary Benedittu Vassallo, handing him the necessary money for the church to be built. Soon enough the church was blessed and re-opened for the people of Ħas Sajjied.

ARCHITECTURE

The present church was erected in the first half of the 18th century when Baroque architecture was in its heyday. The church was therefore built in this architectural style, as a small rotunda, between 1728 and 1736.

The belfry dates to the following century. The internal pilasters follow the Tuscan style, with the dome featuring floral motifs and emblems of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The façade reflects the Spanish influence, which is quite rare in Malta.

INTERIOR & WORKS OF ART

Inside there is a very beautiful altar made of polychrome marble, that dates back to the second half of the 18th century.

Unfortunately the artist who painted the impressive titular altarpiece in 1770 has remained anonymous.

The statue of Our Lady of Victories is the work of Giuseppe Cilia, who studied under Carlo Darmanin. The crown on the head of Madonna’s statue was made in 1962 on the initiative of Stella Pace.

Among the various statues we find inside the church, there are statues of St. Joseph and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, both of which are also the work of expert statue builder Ġużeppi Cilia. Present too is a statue of Marija Addolorata. This statue was made thanks to the initiative of Helen Attard and Speditu Camilleri.

THE PLAQUE REMEMBERING A DECREE BY POPE BENEDICT XV

The church of Our Lady of Victories in Ħas Sajjied continued serving the faithful and on the 23rd of February 1918 a decree by Pope Benedict XV granted all those who prayed in it an indulgence of 300 days, as indicated by a plaque affixed to the church’s façade.

PRESENT DAY

As with many churches and chapels across the Maltese islands, this church is thankful well taken care by a group of volunteers that with great love towards this temple of faith work hard together to keep the church in good condition and for it to be decorated for the feast day of Marija Bambina.

Mass is often celebrated at this church, usually daily

Photo Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg.
References:
- Wikipedia;
- An article by Joe Brincat for KappelliMaltin .com.
For all my latest photos, please visit and like Kappa Vision on Facebook and kappavision_gram on Instagram. When sharing, DO NOT repost, but FEEL FREE to share directly from Kappa Vision.

19/12/2023

Have you ever noticed this large vacant house in Sliema?

👇Inżel l-isfel biex taqra dan l-artiklu bil-Malti / Scroll down to read this article in Maltese 👇

LANCASTER HOUSE

Lancaster House is a landmark building in Castelletti Street corner with Lunzjata Street in Sliema, . It has been sealed off and left lying in a state of neglect for as long as many of us can remember, despite having been deemed to have enough architectural heritage value to merit Grade 2 protection by the Planning Authority in 2018. The pigeons seem to be the only ones making good use of it today.

PAST INHABITANTS

The house was originally built for a lady from a wealthy family and had unobstructed views of Sliema creek in front of it. Locals would refer to it as the "house of the Baroness".

It belonged to the Trapani Galea family, and it possibly still is. The mother was a De Piro.

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BIL-MALTI

Ġieli rajtha din id-dar mitluqa f’tas-Sliema?

Lancaster House tinsab f’Triq Castelletti kantuniera ma Triq il-Lunzjata. Ilha ż-żmien magħluqa. Fl-2018 il-Mepa ddeċidiet li tiskeda lil din il-binja u tagħtha t-tieni livell ta’ protezzjoni għall-valur arkitettoniku li tippossjedi.

Lancaster House kienet inbniet għal sinjura ta’ familja benestanti u dak iż-żmien kellha art miftuħa quddiemha b’veduta tal-Ferries u d-daħla ta’ tas-Sliema. B***a mill-inħawi kienu jagħfuha bħala d-dar tal-Barunessa.

Kienet tal-familja Trapani Galea, u jist jkun li għada. Il-mara kienet De Piro.

Copyright © Kappa Vision / Jean-Paul Borg.
For all my latest photos, please visit and like Kappa Vision on Facebook, kappavision_gram on Instagram KappaVision on Twitter and kappavision on Vero. When sharing, DO NOT repost, but FEEL FREE to share directly from Kappa Vision.

14/12/2023

10/12/2023

Does anyone know what this cross is? Any intresting stories?