Malta Maritime Museum
 Museum building in Birgu on the banks of Harbor Creek |
|
| Data | |
|---|---|
| place |
Birgu , Malta 
|
| Art |
Maritime Museum
|
| architect | William Scamp |
| opening | July 24, 1992 |
| operator | |
| Website | |
The Malta Maritime Museum shows the maritime history of the Maltese archipelago . It is located in the bakery in Birgu , built for the Royal Navy between 1842 and 1845 , which was built on the site of the former galley arsenal. The history of the Order's Navy and Malta as the Royal Navy's Mediterranean base are the main themes of the museum presentation. The museum is operated by Heritage Malta .
building
During the Order of Time in 1607 built an arsenal for the galleys of was located at the site of the current museum order . It consisted of three roofed hangings directly on Dockyard Creek , thus offering the hulls protection from the elements and enabling undisturbed work on the ships.
After the end of the Order of the Navy in 1798, galleys were no longer needed and the Royal Navy built the industrial bakery in place of the arsenal to stock up on the ships of the Malta base. It is now the oldest industrialization monument in Malta. Architect William Scamp was inspired by the facade design of Windsor Castle . For the first time in Malta, the ceiling beams were not made of wood, but of rolled steel and columns made of cast iron . The building was constructed from 1842 to 1845. The bakery's steam engines , which were required for many mechanical work processes, first worked on April 10, 1845; regular operation began in 1848. As such, it is the last surviving facility. Other plants were shut down until 1907, only the one in Malta worked until the 1950s.
The clockwork from 1810 in the bell tower is the oldest in Malta. Three of the four bells were also cast in 1810, the fourth from 1790 is the oldest British bell in Malta.
The building was badly damaged in the bombing of Malta during World War II . The impacts and damage caused by the splinters can still be seen on the front and on the towers.
museum
A collection began to be built up in 1988. Suitable objects from the archaeological collection , the Museum of Fine Arts , the weapons collection of the grand masters and purchases were brought together. The museum was opened in 1992. In 2006 an exhibition area of 3000 m² could be used and thus about 30% of the available area.
Exhibition themes
Antiquity
The site of today's Fort St. Angelo was already a fort in Phoenician times . Thus the antique objects typical of the Mediterranean are also exhibited in the museum. In addition to modern models of antique vehicles, amphorae , various anchor arms made of lead and a reconstruction of a Roman anchor are presented. These finds from the waters of the Maltese archipelago indicate the importance of the route, from Egypt to Rome past Malta, for the grain supply . Of course, the subject of shipwreck ( Acts 28 : 1–11 EU ) of the Apostle Paul is also represented on the Catholic island.
Order Navy
The period from 1530 is considered to be the first high point in Maltese history with the arrival of the Knights of St. John . A painting with St. Anna's largest carrack around 1530 refers to this event. Two large ship models from the 18th century represent ships of the line of the order navy . Only in the Sanctuarium Museum in Żabbar is there another original model of a ship of the order navy. A frame construction model in the exhibition is the only one of its kind based on the Navy Board models in Malta. Also unique is the oldest rail gun in Malta, which is shown alongside the usual bronze and cast iron cannons, handguns and edged weapons.
While the Ordensmarine only used sailing ships for the last 100 years, galleys have always been part of the fleet. The exhibition shows a replica of a gun emplacement on a galley, as well as various shapes and sizes of belt-driven vehicles and the grand masters' grand vehicles. Contemporary paintings and graphics show ships in the Mediterranean and battles against Muslim vehicles. This includes a number of Ex Voto donated after having overcome dangers at sea. Further topics are infrastructure (e.g. warehouses and port facilities), life on board and nautical science. The end of the Order's Navy came with the conquest of Malta by the Napoleonic troops in 1798. A Bucentaure prisoner of war model documents this point in time.
With the conquest of Malta in 1800 the British period began until 1979. During this period it was the most important base of the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean after Gibraltar . In addition to the reconstruction of a British gun emplacement below deck of a ship of the line from 1805 (the time of the Battle of Trafalgar ), the many alterations in and around the Grand Harbor to meet the needs of the fleet are also intended. This also includes medical care for members of the fleet, which has been standard in Europe since the time of the Knights of St. John. The three-tonne figurehead of HMS Hibernia from 1804 on display shows the size of this three-decker and the long years of service (1855 to 1905) of the ship as a station ship in Malta. It has significantly shaped the view of the port and was also one of the last sailing warships on Malta. The sinking of the HMS Victoria in 1893 is commemorated in numerous documents, in which 358 people, including several Maltese, died. A bar placed after it draws attention to the indirect influence of the presence of the Royal Navy in Malta. The portal cladding of a former bar with dining options from Senglea is the entrance to a room furnished with souvenirs, coat of arms plaques and historical photos, which gives the feeling of one of these former and widespread locations for seafarers in Malta. Numerous uniforms, pieces of equipment and everyday objects from the various eras of the 19th and 20th centuries are available. In addition to the simple uniforms and clothing of the sailors, the admiral uniforms of the 19th century are particularly representative.
While Malta was considered The Nurse of the Mediterranean during the First World War and was spared from the actual course of the war, it experienced the so-called Second Siege during the Second World War . The port area and Senglea were particularly hard hit by the bombing. Around the model of the Ohio , these events are documented with images, uniforms and weapons.
other topics
The modern models, which also illustrate boat building, show that the Luzzu was not the only domestic vehicle type in Malta. In addition to the smaller types, there are also larger models such as galleys and magnificent barges . Well-known types are the Schebecke , the Speronara and the Gozo boat . The Dgħajsa , Ferilla or Kajjik are less well known .
The development of navigation is illustrated by an extensive arsenal of measuring instruments, textbooks and manuscripts, nautical charts and paintings by navigators and pilots. The museum's collection impresses with instruments from the 16th century and is reminiscent of the early founding of a navigation school in the 18th century.
Of course, maritime development did not end with the withdrawal of the British. Machines, drive parts and accessories for modern vehicles are also shown in the Anadrian Hall . The exhibition adapts to the industrial architecture of the 19th century of the building.
The museum has a library, restoration workshops, depots and its own jetty with historical vehicles in front of the museum.
literature
- Emmanuel Magro Conti: The Malta Maritime Museum Vittoriosa (= Insight Heritage Guides 11). 2006, ISBN 99932-7-075-X .
Web links
- The Malta Maritime Museum , www.maltauncovered.com, accessed January 24, 2020
Individual evidence
- ^ Reuben Grima: National Maritime Museum. In: The Times of Malta Online. December 30, 2006, accessed January 23, 2020 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Emmanuel Magro Conti: The Malta Maritime Museum. In: Malta Independent. February 15, 2006, accessed January 23, 2020 .
- ↑ a b Malta Maritime Museum. In: Museums & Sites. Heritage Malta , 2015, archived from the original on January 5, 2015 ; accessed on January 23, 2020 (English).