Upper Barrakka Gardens
| Upper Barrakka Gardens | |
|---|---|
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| Partial view of the garden complex | |
| Basic data | |
| place | Valletta |
| Created | 17th century |
| Newly designed | in the 20th century |
| use | |
| User groups | Pedestrian traffic , leisure time , events |
The Upper Barrakka Gardens ( Maltese Il-Barrakka ta 'Fuq ) are a public park in Valletta , the capital of Malta . They are located at the highest point of the city fortifications on the St. Peter and St. Paul Bastion and offer an excellent view of the Grand Harbor , the three classic cities of Vittorosia, Senglea and Cospicua, the suburb of Floriana and the large shipyard, the Fort St. Angelo and the Valletta Waterfront , where many cruise ships dock.
The Lower Barrakka Gardens are about 600 meters to the northeast .
history
After the Turkish siege of Malta in 1565, the foundation stone for the new capital Valletta was laid one year later and construction of the new fortifications began. The St. Peter and St. Paul Bastion was completed in 1570.
Around the year 1660, the Maltese knights of the Italian tongue (Brothers of St. John the Order) laid out a private recreational garden here because their accommodations were nearby. A double archway , built in 1661 according to plans and under the direction of the Italian knight Fra Flaminio Balbiani, surrounds large parts of the green area. Originally it was covered. After an uprising by the Maltese clergy against Grand Master Francisco Ximenes de Texada was suppressed in 1775 , the latter had the roof torn down as a punishment.
In 1824, after the French occupation of Malta ended, the complex was opened to the public.
description
Monuments and works of art
Various works of art and monuments can be found in the park, including those of Gerald Strickland and Winston Churchill . Between the arches of the arcades there are memorial plaques for other people and events, including the summit meeting between the American President George W. Bush and the Soviet head of state Mikhail Gorbachev in the summer of 1989 in Malta. Even Albert Einstein and Guglielmo Marconi dedicated plaques.
Immediately in front of the inner arcade there is a bronze sculpture made up of three children entitled Les Gavroches (= The Newspaper Boys). This is a copy of the original group made by local sculptor Antonio Sciortino in 1904. The Malta Stock Exchange , which is right next to the park wall, had the cast made and installed in 2003. The original is in the National Museum of Fine Art .
Elevator
An elevator with two cabins connects the garden with the fortress moat located 58 meters below, from where the landing stages of the cruise ships and the ferry to the three cities can be reached. The descent is usually free.
The first elevator at this point was built in 1905, but decommissioned in 1973 and demolished ten years later. The current elevator was inaugurated on December 15, 2012.
Saluting Battery
The Saluting Battery is located on a terrace directly below the Upper Barrakka Gardens . It was mainly used for ceremonial purposes, but was also used for military purposes. Today, a single cannon shot is fired every day at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. Originally this was used to be able to set the clocks on the ships, as these were important for astronomical navigation (see also length problem ).
The Saluting Battery has been open to visitors since it was renovated at the beginning of the 21st century.
The Lascaris Battery and the Lascaris War Rooms are located below the Saluting Battery .
photos
View over the Grand Harbor; left the Fort St. Angelo in Vittoriosa , right Senglea
Archway
The elevator seen from the moat
Monument to Winston Churchill
Cannon shot from the Saluting Battery at 12 noon
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Upper Barrakka Gardens ( memento of October 30, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) at www.reachmalta.com.
- ↑ The Upper Barakka Garden , accessed February 19, 2017.
- ↑ Explanation of Les Gavroches on the explanation board attached to it, as seen in November 2016. For the sculptor see en: Antonio Sciortino
- ↑ Upper Barrakka Lift at www.visitmalta.com
- ↑ Welcome to the Saluting Battery! at www.salutingbattery.com
- ↑ salute cannons on www.visitmalta.com
Coordinates: 35 ° 53 ′ 41 ″ N , 14 ° 30 ′ 44 ″ E