 Birgu: Fort St. Angelo | ||
| Birgu (Il-Birgu), Vittoriosa | ||
| Disctrict | Southern Harbor District | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2.629 (2014) | |
| height | 0 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Birgu (Vittoriosa) is a municipality in Southern Harbor District east of Grand Harbor Malta and belongs to the Three Cities (Cottonera).
background
On the east side of the Grand Harbor form the rocky elevations of the two headlands of Birgu (Vittoriosa) and Senglea (L'Isla) as well as the municipality in between in the hinterland Cospicua the "Three Cities" or Cottonera.
After the Order of St. John came to Malta after 1530 and the capital from the old inland Mdina wanted to relocate near the large natural harbor, the preliminary choice was noticed Birgu with the pre-existing fortress of Sant'Angelo. After the new construction of the capital Valletta and the move there, Birgu became the seat of the inquisitors.
history
In the area of the headland of Birgu, the Fort Sant'Angelo, a fortress had existed since the time of the Arab occupation of Malta; In the Middle Ages, this sparsely occupied fortress managed the fishing town Il Borgo hardly defendable from invasions by Turks and pirates.
With the arrival of the ships of the Order of St. Fort Sant'Angelo (the Castrum maris) reinforced and that Fort Sant'Elmo at the entrance to the Grand Harbor erected to prevent the Ottomans from landing in the port area. As the provisional capital was Il Borgo attached, with Cavaliers (Tower fortresses) secured; garrisons (Postes) and each was assigned a fortress section for defense.
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When an Ottoman expeditionary force under Dragut (Turgut Reis) landed at Marsamxett Harbor in 1551 and during the capture of Mount Scibberas (where later Valletta was built), the Turks met with fierce resistance and sailed on to Gozo without having achieved anything in order to overpower the weak garrison there and to lead the population of Gozo into slavery. These events led to increased efforts in fortress building.
The first fortifications were by the Italian fortress architect Antonio Ferramolino designed and had to withstand the heavy siege by the Turks in 1565, who were defeated after the destruction of Fort Sant'Elmo. Only after this siege (Great victories) the two Cavaliers were built, the land section was strengthened by the fortress Santa Margerita and the Cottonera Lines in 1670/80 and, with the involvement of Cospicua, access from the land side was also secured. After the attack by the Turks could be repulsed, the city was named Città Vittoriosa (victorious city), after the building efforts, the capital was moved to the newly built Valletta in 1571.
After 1574 Vittoriosa became the seat of the ecclesiastical Inquisition, the Inquisition Palace was expanded with a dungeon, torture chamber and place of execution according to its purpose.
The fortresses, especially the Fort Sant'Angelo, retained their military importance until the Second World War, and the Birgu district suffered badly from the bombings of the Axis powers.
getting there
By plane
The 1 Malta International Airport located in Luqa about five kilometers outside of town.
By bus
The bus routes X7 operates as an express line from Birgu-Riche with a long detour over the Airport to Valetta.
The bus routes 1, 2 and 3 run from Valetta to Birgu, the latter continues to Kalkara and Fort Rinella.
In the street
From the main street 1 you change to the main road at the traffic junction in Marsa 8on which it continues after Senglea (L'Isla), Birgu (Vittoriosa) and Kalkara goes.
By boat
A scenic alternative is to cross one of the Dghajsa (gondola-like ferry boats) that run between the Old Costums House In Valetta and the quay at the Maritime Museum, an alternative is the Valletta Ferry Services ferry, which runs every half hour between Valletta2 Lascaris - 3 L'Isla and 4 Bormla (Cospicua)
Dghajsa - boats
Grand Harbor Marina
Anyone who owns a yacht can do so on Grand Harbor Marina Moor at the Vittoriosa Waterfront.
mobility
Locally one moves on foot.
Tourist Attractions
- the 1 Fort Sant'Angelo was massively expanded to include Phoenician, Roman, Arab and Norman old buildings after the arrival of the Order of St. John on Malta and is likely to be the most important fortress buildings on the Grand Harbor next to Fort Sant'Elmo in Valletta.
- A moat was dug between the fort itself and the city, this moat was also known as the Galley harbor used.
- A Castrum Maris is first mentioned in a document in 1240, the castle passed into the possession of the Angioviner and later the house of Aragon, under the Johannites the fortress became the first seat of the grand master. The St. Anne's Chapel was renewed; Major renovations were carried out under de Wignacourt around 1690 and after the arrival of the French, who equipped Fort Sant'Angelo with 80 cannons and made it the headquarters of the French army in Malta and Gozo. Under British rule, the Royal Navy took over at the beginning of the 20th century. the fortress and managed it administratively as a ship, as HMS Egremont and from 1933 as HMS Sant'Angelo. During the Second World War, the fortress was repeatedly the target of attacks, but fell into disrepair after the withdrawal of the Royal Navy respectively. Great Britain from Malta in 1979.
- In a 99-year usage contract, Fort Sant'Angelo was handed over to the Order of St. John, who want to make it their Maltese headquarters, currently the fortress is not open to the public, with the support of the EU under under Aegide von Heritage Malta Costly renovation measures are currently underway.
- the city gate is after crossing the moat between the bastions of the 2 Poste de France and Poste d'Aragon and the one on the right 3 St. John's Cavalier reached. The access road runs in the area Couvre Porte between the two fortifications, uninvited guests could not access the city.
- a little to the north is the second entrance, the 4 Gate of Auvergne , the Poste d'Auvergne for his protection and the 5 St. James Cavalier .
- at the 6 Poste de Castille One of the bloodiest fights took place during the siege by the Turks, after a ruse (two knights of an advance detachment let themselves be captured by the Turks and testified under torture that the weakest fortifications would be at the Poste de Castille - both of them were later executed when it was found they had not quite told the truth and lured the Turks to the strongest part of the fortifications).
- the 7 Poste d'Allemagnewho secured the harbor basin with the Poste d'Angleterre, also located on the harbor basin.
- on the way from 8 Victory Square / Misrah Ir-Rebha and along the Britannic Road / Triq Hilda Tabone are on the right Auberge d'Allemagne and next to it the Auberge d'Angleterre, opposite the Auberge d'Auvergne et Provence and a little further down the street you come to the left Auberge de France and in the Triq G.Caesaer to Auberge de Castille. The Auberge d'Italie with the fleet command was directly above the galley harbor and was connected to it via a secret passage carved into the rock.
- at the Triq Il-Kwartier lies the former 9 Armory of the Order of St. John, after all weapons had been handed out during the great siege, the largely empty building was used as a hospital, the first Sacra Infermeria.
- in the Bishop's Palace Street / Il-Palazz ta L'Isqof lies the 10 Archbishop's Palace. After the occupation of the island capital of Mdina to Birgu the building was built in 1542. After the construction of the new capital Valletta, it was planned that the archbishop would also have his seat there. Since the knights were no longer willing to recognize the archbishop's old privileges, he kept his official seat in Birgu. On the other side of the street in House of the Chaplains the lower clergy were housed.
- the 11 Palazzo Università dates back to 1538. In Malta, the term Università is not a teaching institution, but the general assembly of the local aristocracy. After the takeover of Malta by the Order of St. John, the Maltese nobility were stripped of their privileges; Grand Master de Homedes granted the Università a kind of limited local administration, which resided in the Palazzo Università. Under British colonial rule, the Università was responsible for grain and food imports, which is why the building has six underground granaries.
Churches and sacred buildings
- the 12 Announciation Church / St. Dominic : Dominican monks had their seat in 1528 from Rabat Relocated to Birgu, in 1639 the foundation stone for the Annunciation Church was laid and it was consecrated in 1657. The church was damaged in a massive explosion of a powder magazine in 1806, and it was not until 1924 that it was given a dome again. The church was destroyed in an air raid on Sunday 19th January 1941, the current building being rebuilt dates from 1960.
- 13 The Inquisitor’s Palace, Main Gate Street, Vittoriosa BRG 1023. Tel.: 356 21 827 006. A building from the Norman era was rebuilt as an inquisitor's palace after the arrival of the Order of St. John around 1535. A total of sixty-eight inquisitors were sent to Malta by the Pope from 1574 to 1798, two of whom were later made papal. The building attained its present-day aspect after numerous renovations in 1767. The coats of arms of the inquisitors are placed in the large council chamber, the door for the accused was built especially low so that they had to enter the hall in a stooped position.Open: 9 am-5pm.Price: 6.00 / 4.50 / 3.00 €.
- the 14 Victory Square is the central square of Birgu and used to be the place of execution, it was named in 1705 as the Victory Monument in memory of the victory over the Turkish invaders.
- the 15 St Scholastica Church is actually dedicated to St Anne and was built by L. Gafa in 1679.
- in the 16 Oratorio St.Joseph / Oratorju San Guzepp A small church museum is housed, on the one hand there are exhibits from the Second World War, on the other hand the combat sword and hat of Grand Master Jean de la Valette can be seen here.
- the 17 Saint Lawrence Church stands on the site of the oldest parish church in Malta: as early as the 11th century. there was a church here, and the church was opened in 1432 San Lorenzo del Mare Newly built and served the Johannites under Grand Master L'Isle Adam as a religious church from 1530-1571 until they moved to Valletta. Under L.Gafa, a completely new building was erected in the Baroque style in 1681/97; besides the paintings, the pillars clad in red marble are worth seeing. On January 16, 1941, the sacristy with documents from the time of the order was destroyed, followed by a side chapel, the main dome on April 4, 1942, and the church was rebuilt in 1949/52.
- That is found in front of the church Freedom Memorial at the point where the last British soldier boarded the ship when the troops withdrew in 1979.
Other structures
On the sea front, where extensive renovation work has been carried out, is the access to Fort Sant'Angelo:
- the former bakery with the 18 Malta Maritime Museum
- the 19 Palace of the General of the Galleys (of the fleet commander) of the Order of St. John, today Casino Venezia.
- at the marina Grand Harbor Marina numerous yachts from small boats to enormous ocean-going yachts can be seen.
Museums
- 20 Malta at War Museum, Triq Couvre Porte. Tel.: 356 21896617, Email: [email protected]. Depiction of the siege of Malta in World War II with air raid shelters and original furnishings.Open: Tue-Sun, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Price: 10.00 / 8.00 / 5.00 €.
- 21 Malta Maritime Museum, Ex-Naval Bakery, Vittoriosa Waterfront, Vittoriosa BRG 1721. Tel.: 356 21 660 052. Open: Mon-Sun, 9 am-5pm.Price: 5.00 / 3.50 / 2.50 €.
Vittoriosa waterfront
Vittoriosa Waterfront: Maritime Museum
activities
- City stroll and tour, Fort Sant'Angelo is currently closed to the public.
shop
In Birgu there are several small grocery stores, a bakery and small butcher shops to stock up on daily needs.
kitchen
- 1 Tal-Petut, 20 P. Scicluna, Il-Birgu. Tel.: 356 2189 1169. Various multi-course menus are offered for € 28 plus drinks. Local cuisine, everything homemade, vegetarian or vegan on request.Open: Mon to Sat 6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- 2 Del Borgo, St Dominic Street, Birgu. Tel.: 356 2180 3710. Restaurant, wine bar, café with Mediterranean cuisine, from Greek to Italian to Maltese.Open: daily 5:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.
- 3 Osteria. Ve, Alessandru VII, Il-Birgu. Tel.: 356 7703 0174. Italian cuisine, also vegetarian.Open: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 5:00 p.m. - 11:45 p.m., Sat, Sun 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. - 11:45 p.m., closed on Tuesdays.
nightlife
Most of the nightlife in the greater Valletta area takes place in St. Julian's.
accommodation
In the Birgu (Vittoriosa) area there are practically no hotel accommodations, and there are occasional guest rooms.
health
There is a pharmacy on site in Birgu, otherwise it is the central one 1 Mater Dei University Hospital at Birkirkara with an emergency center point of contact in medical emergencies.
Practical advice
trips
literature
Web links
- http://www.birgu.gov.mt/ - Official website of Vittoriosa
