Vittoriosa redirects here. For the coaster see
MV Vittoriosa.
Birgu is an ancient city in
MaltaMalta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
. It played a vital role in the
Siege of MaltaSiege of Malta may refer to:*The Siege of Malta , which occurred when the Ottoman Empire invaded the island, then held by the Knights Hospitaller*The Siege of Malta , by the Axis powers against the then-British-controlled island...
in 1565. Its population is 2,691 as of November 2005.
History
Birgu, is a very old locality on the south side of the Grand Harbour in Malta with its origins reaching back to prehistoric times. The town occupies a promontory of land with Fort St Angelo at its head and the city of
CospicuaCospicua is a double-fortified harbour city on the Mediterranean island of Malta. It is the largest of the Three Cities. It was also given a title as Citta' Cottonera, but erroneously the title is now used to define the whole region. It is situated between the other two towns which make up...
at its base.
Birgu is ideally situated for safe anchorage, and over time it has developed a very long history with maritime, mercantile and military activities. Prior to the establishment of Valletta as capital and main city of Malta, military powers that wanted to rule the Maltese islands would need to obtain control of Birgu due to its significant position in the Grand Harbour.
Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, the Angevines, the Aragonese and the Knights of St. John all contributed to the development of Birgu. But none more so than the Knights. Being driven out of Rhodes by the
TurksThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
, the Knights were granted Malta as their new home. When the Knights arrived in 1530, they made Birgu the capital city of Malta, since the former capital,
MdinaMdina, Città Vecchia, or Città Notabile, is the old capital of Malta. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city’s walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta’s Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly...
, was inland and did not suit their naval requirements. Almost as soon as they took up residence, the Knights undertook a series of works designed to improve the fortification at Fort St Angelo and of the whole area of the three cities. These works give Birgu and for that matter the whole Maltese island its distinctive architectural character that can be seen today.
Birgu was never captured during the hostilities between the Knights and the Ottoman Empire. After the Siege of Malta in 1565, support for the previously impoverished knights flooded in from across
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
. As a result, Grand Master
Jean Parisot de la ValetteJean Parisot de Valette was born into a noble family in Quercy. He was a Knight of St. John, joining the order in the Langue de Provence, and fought with distinction against the Turks at Rhodes...
was able to implement a long held goal of the knights: the building of a new fortified city on Mount Sceberras, the peninsula opposing Birgu from which the
TurksThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
had bombarded Birgu. The new capital city, bore his name,
VallettaValletta is the capital city of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta and the city proper has a population of 6,315....
. In 1571, they transferred their convent and seat to the new capital and Birgu lost much of its importance. After the Siege, the Knights also gave Birgu the title
Città Vittoriosa, Italian for "victorious city".
The parish church is dedicated to St. Lawrence. The saint's day is celebrated on August 10. This church was the conventual church of the Order when the Knights settled at Birgu. The Order settled in Birgu until 1575 when the Knights moved to Valletta. As a matter of fact in Birgu one can still find the old Auberges which were all located (except for the Italian Langue) in the Collachio. The Collachio was a confined place where only the Knights were allowed to enter. All these aspects and more can only be appreciated if one visits this unique city which is surrounded by fortified walls and high towers known as St. John and St. James Cavalier, and which are similar to the same named high towers at Valletta. During the visit one should not miss taking a look at the Inquisitor's Palace and the Guva in St.Angelo where Caravaggio was arrested.
Also in Birgu is the Church dedicated to Our Lady of the Annunciation run by the
Dominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France...
. This church is also known as St. Dominic's Church. The feast of
Saint DominicSaint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo de Guzmán Garcés was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
is held every last Sunday of August. It is organised by the Dominican Friars, the St. Dominic External Feast Committee and the Prince of Wales' Own Band Club of Birgu.
After the taking of Malta by Napoleon in 1798, and his eviction by the Maltese, the British were invited to Malta and the British Navy made Birgu its base in the Mediterranean, and remained there until 1979.
Main sights
- Gally Harbour (at Vittoriosa Waterfront)
- Couvre Porte
- French Curtain
- Freedom Monument (at Freedom Square)
- Post of Castille
- Post of Allemagne
- De La Salle College
De La Salle College may refer to:* De La Salle College Ashfield, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia* De La Salle College Churchtown, in Churchtown, Dublin, Ireland* De La Salle College Dundalk, in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland...
(at Silver Jubile Street)
- Mount Carmel School (at St. Edward Street)
- St. Angelo Gate (at Old Prison Street)
- St. Lawrence's Church (at St. Lawrence Street)
- St. Scholastic Church (at St. Scholastic Street)
- Our Lady of Annunciation Church (known as St. Dominic's Church) (at Main Gate Street)
- Fort St Angelo
Fort St Angelo is a large fortification in Birgu, Malta.-History:The date of its original construction is unknown and may date back to Roman times. It certainly existed in the early medieval period. The remains of a tower that may date back to the 11th century when Malta was under Arab control can...
- Vittoriosa 1565 museum
- The Auberges of the Knights (not open to the public)
- Malta Maritime Museum
The Malta Maritime Museum is found in Birgu. The aim of this museum is to highlight the maritime heritage of the Maltese Islands. It is a museum run by Heritage Malta.-Building:...
(at St. Lawrence Wharf)
Old City Core
- Misraħ ir-Rebħa (Victory Square)
- Moll ta' San Lawrenz (St. Lawrence's Wharf)
- Triq Desain (Desain Street)
- Triq il-Kardinal (Cardinal Street)
- Triq il-Kunvent (Convent Street)
- Triq il-Palazz l-Antik tal-Gvernatur (Old Governor's Palace Street)
- Triq Nestu Laviera (N. Laviera Street)
- Triq Nofs in-Nhar (South Street)
- Triq San Ġorġ (St. George's Street)
- Triq San Lawrenz (St. Lawrence Street)
- Triq Sant' Anton (St. Anton's Street)
- Triq Wenzu Dyer (Lawrence Dyer Street)
Birgu Community Service
- St. Lawrence's Parish Church, 91, Triq San Lawrenz, Birgu, BRG 1384
- Annuciation's Church, Triq il-Mina l-Kbira, Birgu, BRG 1024
- Vittoriosa Regional Library, Auberge D'Angleterre, Triq il-Majjistral, Birgu, BRG 1270
- Birgu Local Council, Couvre Porte, Birgu, BRG 1810
- Birgu Police Station, Triq Desain, Birgu, BRG 1071
- Malta Labour Party: Birgu Local Centre, Vjal ir-Rebħa, Birgu, BRG 1300
- Malta Labour Party: Birgu Local Centre, 3, Triq il-Lbiċ, Birgu
- Partit Nazzjonalista: Birgu Local Centre, 18, Dar ir-Rebħa, Triq Desain, Birgu, BRG 1070
- Vittoriosa Health Centre, 57, Triq it-Torri San Ġwann, Birgu, BRG 1116
- De La Salle College, Triq il-Kottonera, Birgu, BRG 9021
- Lorenzo Gafà Boys' Secondary School, Triq San Dwardu, Birgu, BRG 9030
- Skola Primarja Santu Rokku, Triq San Dwardu, Birgu, BRG 9031
Zones in Birgu
- Couvre de Porte
- Fuq il-Fortini
- It-Toqba tal-Birgu
- Sagra Infirmerija
- Xatt il-Birgu
- Xatt il-Forn
- Xatt Sant' Anġlu
Band Clubs
- St. Lawrence Band Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali San Lawrenz)
- Prince of Wales Own Band Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali Prinċep ta' Wales)
Population in Birgu by every census
- 1901: 6,093 people
- 1921: 5,887 people
- 1931: 6,673 people
- 1948: 3,816 people
- 1957: 4,242 people
- 1967: 4,017 people
- 1985: 3,572 people
- 1995: 3,069 people
- 2005: 2,701 people
Birgu Main Roads
- Triq il-31 ta' Marzu 1979 (31 March, 1979 Street)
- Triq il-Ħabs l-Antik (Old Prison Street)
- Triq il-Mina l-Kbira (Main Gate Street)
- Misraħ ir-Rebħa (Victory Square)
- Triq Boffa (Boffa Street)
- Triq San Dwardu (St. Edward Street)
- Triq San Filippu (St. Philip Street)
- Triq San Lawrenz (St Lawrence Street)
External links