Republic Square, Valletta
{{short description|Square in Valletta, Malta}}
File:Republic Square Valletta Malta 2014.jpg
Republic Square ({{langx|mt|Misraħ ir-Repubblika}}) is a piazza in Valletta, Malta. The square was originally called Piazza Tesoreria or Piazza dei Cavallieri, since the treasury of the Order of Saint John was located in the square. After a statue of Queen Victoria was installed in the square in the 19th century, it became known as Queen's Square or Piazza Regina ({{langx|mt|Pjazza Reġina}}). Although its official name is Republic Square, it is still commonly referred to as Piazza Regina.
| class="wikitable" | |||||
| Original | Informal | French | British | British post-1926 | Maltese [https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/where-the-streets-have-four-names.570511 times of Malta][https://cilialacorte.com/Valletta_Street_Names.htm Cilia Lacorte] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piazza dei Cavallieri o della Tesoreria | Piazza della Città | Place de l’Egalité | Piazza Regina | Victoria Square | Pjazza Reġina / Pjazza Repubblika |
Layout
File:Malta Public Library, Valletta, by Charles de Brocktorff.jpg (before 1850)]]
File:Francis_Frith,_Strada_Reale,_Valletta_(No._1978).jpg, 1858-1864; photo by Francis Frith]]
File:Public Library, Malta, RP-F-F24781.jpg and orchard, as depicted in a 19th century photo by Giorgio Sommer]]
File:Plein met bibliotheek en Café della Regina in Valletta op Malta Malta. Biblioteca e caffe della Regina. (titel op object), RP-F-F01141-C.jpg, as depicted in a photochrome print from the early 1900s]]
Originally the site was a square called Piazza dei Cavalieri, but during the British period Governor Gaspard Le Marchant enclosed the space to create a British-access only orchard.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121118/life-features/Let-s-hide-the-majestic-bastions.445894|title=Let's hide the majestic bastions|website=Timesofmalta.com|date=18 November 2012 |access-date=22 October 2018}} Some photos of the orchard form part of a historic photograph collection of Malta.{{cite web|url=http://almashriq.hiof.no/ddc/projects/jafet/blatchford/html/027.html|title=The Blatchford Collection of Photographs - Jafet Library at AUB|date=10 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910171717/http://almashriq.hiof.no/ddc/projects/jafet/blatchford/html/027.html|access-date=22 October 2018|archive-date=2016-09-10}}
At one point, Le Marchant moved the statue of Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena from Fort Manoel to the middle of this piazza. In 1887 this statue was moved to Floriana, and replaced by a statue of Queen Victoria in commemoration of her Golden Jubilee.{{cite journal |last1=Zammit |first1=Themistocles |author-link1=Themistocles Zammit |title=Il-Belt (Valletta) |journal=Il-Malti |date=1928 |volume=2 |pages=33–35 |url=http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Il-Malti/Il-Malti.%20004(1928)2/01.pdf |publisher=Il-Għaqda tal-Kittieba tal-Malti |language=mt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517050238/http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Il-Malti/Il-Malti.%20004(1928)2/01.pdf |archive-date=17 May 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OLANAAAAQAAJ&q=Castellania+palace&pg=PA55|title=The historical guide to the island of Malta and its dependencies|first=Giuseppe Pericciuoli|last=Borzesi|date=22 October 2018|publisher=Government Press|page=55|access-date=22 October 2018|via=Google Books}}
The northwest part of the square consists of a large building originally known as the Casa del Commun Tesoro. The building housed the accounts, contracts and records of the treasury of the Order of Saint John. The first post office in Malta was opened in the building in 1708, and part of it remained a post office until 1849.{{cite news|title=Maltapost privatisation latest red-letter day in postal history|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080121/local/maltapost-privatisation-latest-red-letter-day-in-postal-history.192808|access-date=10 April 2015|work=Times of Malta|date=21 January 2008}} Over the years, La Casa del Comun Tesoro also housed government offices, a hotel and a cinema. The building was damaged in World War II, but it was repaired and it now houses the Casino Maltese. Some parts of the ground floor are occupied by cafés and shops.{{cite web|title=Club History|url=http://www.thecasinomaltese.com/History.htm|website=Casino Maltese|access-date=10 April 2015}}
The southeast side of the square, facing the Casa del Commun Tesoro, is the National Library of Malta, commonly known as the Bibliotheca. The building was commissioned when larger premises were required for the Order's library. It was designed by the Polish Italian architect Stefano Ittar,{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150104/business-news/Valletta-vibrant-city-of-many-styles.550626|title=Valletta – vibrant city of many styles|website=Timesofmalta.com|date=4 January 2015 |access-date=22 October 2018}} and was completed in 1796. Due to the French occupation of Malta, the library did not open until Malta became a British protectorate. It was officially inaugurated by Civil Commissioner Sir Hildebrand Oakes in 1812. The library has remained there ever since.{{cite web|title=History|url=http://education.gov.mt/en/education/malta-libraries/Pages/National%20Library/History.aspx|website=Malta Libraries|publisher=Ministry of Education|access-date=10 April 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Vella|first1=Charlene|title=An icon of learning and historical importance|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120624/arts-entertainment/An-icon-of-learning-and-historical-importance.425886|access-date=10 April 2015|work=Times of Malta|date=24 June 2012}}
The square's northeast side is part of the Grandmaster's Palace, while the southwest side is a shopping arcade.
In 1858, a bronze statue of António Manoel de Vilhena was moved from Fort Manoel to the centre of the square.{{cite web|title=Monument to Grand Master de Vilhena|url=http://www.florianalocalcouncil.com/index.php/mnmap/2012-09-28-07-46-49/monument-to-grand-master-de-vilhena|website=Floriana Local Council|access-date=10 April 2015}} The statue of de Vilhena was later relocated to the Mall Gardens in Floriana, and it is currently in Pope John XXIII Square, also in Floriana.
A statue of Queen Victoria was erected instead of the de Vilhena statue in 1891, giving the square the name of Queen's Square or Piazza Regina. The statue was restored in 2011,{{cite web|last1=Vella|first1=Leslie|title=Queen Victoria and her Maltese Lace|url=https://leslievella.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/queen-victoria-and-her-maltese-lace/|website=The Malta Photoblog|access-date=10 April 2015|date=16 May 2013}} and it is often a resting place for pigeons.{{cite news|url=https://app.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110529/books/Exploring-Valletta-s-treasures.368022|title=Exploring Valletta's treasures|last=Farrugia|first=Peter|date=29 May 2011|work=Times of Malta|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626234749/https://app.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110529/books/Exploring-Valletta-s-treasures.368022|archive-date=26 June 2017}}
Today, the open space of the square is used by open air cafés and restaurants.Guillaumier, Alfie (2005). Bliet u Rħula Maltin. Volume 2. Klabb Kotba Maltin. p. 941. {{ISBN|99932-39-40-2}}, {{ISBN|99932-39-41-0}}.
; Public mourning of the death of Queen Victoria by her statue in then- Piazza Tesoreria, August 1901:
File:J.Mallia, The Queen's statue at Malta surrounded by wreaths and emblems of mourning because of Her Majesty's death.jpg|J.Mallia
File:Richard Ellis, Mourning of Queen Victoria at her statue in Piazza Tesoreria, Valletta, Aug 1901.jpg|Richard Ellis
File:Mourning of Queen Victoria at her statue in Piazza Tesoreria, Valletta, Aug 1901 (2).jpg
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{commonscat inline|Misraħ Ir-Repubblika (Valletta)}}
{{Valletta}}
{{coord|35|53|54.5|N|14|30|48.5|E|type:landmark_region:MT|display=title}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Valletta