The Malta Independent on Sunday
Ta’ Braxia Cemetery lecture at Castello Lanzun
Thousands of persons pass by Ta’ Braxia Cemetery at Pieta’ and, unless there is one of the frequent bumper-to-bumper collisions near its entrance gate, very few rarely look beyond its surrounding walls.
Ta’ Braxia was commissioned at the time of the Crimean War, in 1856, as the existing burial grounds and cemeteries available for non-Catholics, in particular the Msida Bastion, had reached full capacity. The cemetery was designed by Luigi Emanuele Galizia (1830-1907) in 1856, the Works Department’s 25-year-old architect, and was his first commission.
On Tuesday, 18 September, Prof. Conrad Thake will be delivering a lecture at Castello Lanzun, Triq is-Santwarju, Mensija, San Gwann during which, he will not only give details of the building of the cemetery and its architectural merits, but also discuss the challenging religious and political context during the mid-19th century and the determination of the Governor Sir William Reid to bring the cemetery about “for all denominations without distinction of creed”.
The event forms part of Castello Lanzun Lecture Series organised by the Grand Commandery of the Castello, a jurisdiction of the Military and Hospitaller or of St Lazarus of Jerusalem as part of its charity fund-raising activities.
The new garden-cemetery was to be managed by a statutory body, the Ta’ Braxia Committee, which was funded by a yearly vote. Ownership of the ground was passed to the Maltese government between the wars. A wide range of Christian denominations and other religions are represented. The lecture will set the main subject against a background of what was happening in Malta at the time.
Prof. Thake is a practising architect and architectural historian. After he graduated from the University of Malta he pursued postgraduate studies in Canada and obtained his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, USA. Currently, he is a senior lecturer in the department of the History of Art at the University of Malta. Prof. Thake has authored and co-authored many works on Malta’s architectural past.
After the lecture, which starts at 8pm, attendees will be invited for a Pimms drinks evening with a selection of finger foods. Together, they will make for a relaxed and informative gathering in the Castello Courtyard. Prof. Thake’s book on the subject will be available for purchase.
Seat reservation against a donation of €18 per person can be made via email addressed to alandavidmiller56@gmail.com or by phoning on 7996 5432 by Thursday, 13 September. Dress code is smart casual.