4,500 square metres of Crucifix Hill, Floriana bastions ready from restoration

A total of 4,500 square meters of bastions near Crucifix Hill in Floriana have been restored. Visiting the site, Minister Owen Bonnici said that even though the bastions no longer served their main principal purpose, it was important that they be preserved as representative of our country’s long history. “It is essential to preserve our past so that future generations will be able to appreciate our country’s heritage,” stated the minister.

This section of the bastions, which overlooks the Grand Harbour and the cruise liner terminal, was in a particularly bad shape. The stone had deteriorated, pieces had started to fall off and the rock was also fractured.

The works carried out included the replacement of stones, pointing, the consolidation of deteriorated stones, as well as interventions to strengthen the rock. A lot of work was done on third-party properties; special precautions were taken to ensure that no damage was done.

These bastions form part of the ones designed by military engineer Pietro Paolo Floriani in 1635, when Antoine de Paule was Grand Master (1622-36), in order to protect Valletta from artillery attacks, the range of which was ever-increasing. Therefore, the Floriana bastions are around 800 metres away from the ones in Valletta.

Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection and Valletta 2018 Deo Debattista said that these bastions kept the structural legacy of our capital city and Valletta 2018 ongoing. Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government and Communities Silvio Parnis stated that, as evidenced by this project, the government never ceased to help and strengthen local councils. Floriana’s mayor, Davinia Sammut Hili, was present at this visit.

Works are being carried out by Irrecs Ltd, under the supervision of the Restoration Directorate within the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government. It is estimated that they will amount to a total of around €600,000.