Cospicua
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| Three Cities of Malta | |
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| Cospicua - Vittoriosa - Senglea |
| Cospicua | |
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 Coat of arms |
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Motto: Ingens Amplectitur Agger - Embraced by a large bastion |
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| Official name: | Bormla Ċittà Cospicua |
| Inhabitants' name: | Bormliż (m), Bormliża (f), Bormliżi (pl) |
| Other names: | Bir Mula, Burmola, Bormola (code: BML) |
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| Latitude: | 35°52 '56" N |
| Longitude: | 14°31 '20" E |
| Area: | 0.9km² |
| Population total: | 5,657 (Nov 2005) |
| Population density: | 6,231/km² |
| Borders: | Birgu, Fgura, Paola, Senglea, Żabbar |
| Patron saint: | Immaculate Conception or the Virgin Mary |
| Day of festa: | December 8 |
| Mayor: | Joseph Scerri (MLP) |
Cospicua, is a title given to the city of Bormla as it is known to the Maltese. It 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 Cottonera which are Vittoriosa (Birgu) and Senglea (Isla). These three towns form part of the area surrounding the Grand Harbour and are found on the eastern side of the capital city Valletta. Its population is of 5,642 (Nov 2005).
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[edit] History
Cospicua was inhabited since Neolithic times and the last to be fortified. Its lines of majestic bastions, built by the Knights of Malta, are a sight to behold for sheer size and magnitude. In 1722, Grand Master Marc'Antonio Zondadari declared it a city and in view of its strong bastions named it Città Cospicua.
Its maritime facilities started during ancient times around the Phoenician era c. 600 B.C. In 1776 the Order of St. John started to construct a dockyard, which was to play a vital role in the development of this city. During the reign of the British Empire, the navy made extensive use of the dockyard, particularly during the Crimean, First World War and during the years preceding the Second World War. As Malta became an independent country, the dockyard (now in government hands) became one of the most economic controversies of the island, and was often the bone of contention between the General Workers Union, to which most of its employees belonged and subsequent governments. It was only in recent years that the dockyard has been downsized and plans are now underway for the transformation of an area of the dockyard into a commercial and tourist centre.
Like any town in the Maltese islands, the importance of Cospicua cannot be measured simply in terms of its economic sector. The people of the city have long heralded it as Belt l-Immakulata or the City of the Immaculate -- in this case referring to the Immaculate Conception or the Virgin Mary, who is the patron of the city. The residents' love for their patron and the church dedicated to Her is deep rooted, and a matter which ties together several strains of national, cultural, church, and political history. Needless to say, this profound devotion has been the flame that has driven the Cospicuan spirit throughout its storied history.
[edit] Famous Cospicua residents
It was the hometown of Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, a leading lawyer and a former Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party. Dr.Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, was a former Minister and also a former President of the Republic.
Cospicua is also the birthplace and hometown of Dom Mintoff, former Prime Minister and leader of The Malta Labour Party, as well as an influential veteran politician in his own right. Cospicua was also the home town of leading linguist Erin Serracino Inglott as well as numerous other professionals who led and still lead the country's civil service.
[edit] Culture
Cospicua celebrates its feast which is held annually on 8 December in honour of the Immaculate Conception. Cospicua is very famous for its set of statues regarding Good Friday. The people of Cospicua started the famous and artistic firs 'Mejda ta' L-Appostli', which literally means, the table of the Apostles. It consists of a display showing the food that was eaten during the Last Supper of Jesus and the 12 Apostles. It also consists of different stories of the Bible, made with coloured rice and salt, on plates (these are done separately). Other towns tried to copy the table, but were unsuccessful to beat Cospicua's fame, and, in fact, Cospicua is still regarded as the only place to visit during the week of Good Friday. In this city, other exhibitions of small statues are held. Cospicua is also famous for its statue of the Resurrection of Jesus and its traditional run with this statue (to symbolize Jesus' triumph over death).
Cospicua's football team is the St. George's F.C., the oldest on the island. Though the club was officially founded in 1890, documentation shows that by 1885 there were already three football teams at Cospicua.
Cospicua is also famous for its Regatta team, which was one of the first. This team won 15 shields (titles).
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[edit] Tourist attractions
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This list may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please help improve this list. It may be poorly defined, unverified or indiscriminate. (June 2008) |
- Bir Mula Heritage - an ethnography, social history, anthropology museum and cultural venue
- Churches
- Fortifications
- The Georgian Architecture at the Dock area
- Local streets and alleys
- Dar it-Tama (built by the Knights of Malta)
- 8th December feast, and the Immaculate Conception's Statue
- Easter Sunday and the statue of the Resurrection (this is considered as the most famous and recognizible statue of the Resurrection in Malta)
- St.Helen's Gate also known as Vilhena Gate which forms part of the Santa Margherita lines
[edit] Cospicua Community Service
- Bormla Local Council, Misraħ Santa Margerita (St. Margreth Square)
- Bormla District Police Headquarters, Triq San Pawl (St. Paul Street)
- Immaculate Conception Parish Church, Triq il-Gendus (Bull Street)
- Missionaries of Charity Chapel, Triq San Pawl (St. Paul Street)
- St. Theresa's Church
- St. Margreth's Monastery, Misraħ Bormla (Cospicua Square)
- Cospicua Health Centre, Triq is-Sofija (Sophie Street)
- Bormla Area Library, Triq Xandru (Alexander Street)
- Bormla Branch Post Office, Triq Fuq San Pawl (Fuq San Pawl Road)
- Cospicua MLP Club, Triq Santa Tereża (St. Theresa Street)
- Cospicua MLP Youths Club, Triq Nelson (Nelson Street)
[edit] Band Clubs
- St. George Band Club (Każin tal-Banda San Ġorġ)
[edit] Population by every Census
- 1901: 12,148 people
- 1921: 11,536 people
- 1931: 12,163 people
- 1948: 4,822 people
- 1957: 9,095 people
- 1967: 9,123 people
- 1985: 7,731 people
- 1995: 6,085 people
- 2005: 5,657 people
[edit] Zones in Bormla
- Dock No. 1
- Fuq Verdala
- San Ġwann t'Għuxa
- Tal-Hawli (touching both Cospicua and Vittoriosa)
- Fuq San Pawl
- Fuq Santa Margherita
- Ta' Santa Liena
[edit] Bormla Main Roads
- Misraħ Gavino Gulia (Gavino Gulia Square)
- Triq il-Ġdida (New Street)
- Triq il-Ġublew tal-Fidda (Silver Jubile Street)
- Triq il-Kottonera (Cottonera Road)
- Triq il-Kunċizzjoni (Conception Street)
- Triq it-Tliet Ibliet (Three Cities Road)
- Triq l-Immakulata (Immaculate Street)
- Triq San Franġisk (St Frances Street)
- Triq San Gorg (St. George's Street)
- Triq San Ġwann t'Għuxa
- Triq San Nikola (St Nicholas Street)
- Triq San Pawl (St Paul Street)
- Triq Santa Tereża (St Theresa Street)
- Triq Wiġi Rosato (Luigi Rosato Street)
- Xatt ta' Bormla (Cospicua Strand)
[edit] Bormla Streets that show the Roman Catholic Faith
- Bieb Santa Liena (St. Helen Gate)
- Misraħ Santa Margerita (St. Margerith Square)
- Sqaq il-Kunċizzjoni (Immaculate Conception Alley)
- Sqaq l-Erwieħ (Souls Alley)
- Sqaq l-Oratorju Nru. 1 u Nru.2 (Oratory Alley No.1 and No.2)
- Sqaq San Ġorġ (St. George Alley)
- Sqaq San Lazzru (St. Lazzarus Alley)
- Sqaq San Mikiel Nru. 1 u Nru.2 (St. Micheal Alley No.1 and No.2)
- Sqaq Santa Liena (St. Helen Alley)
- Sqaq Santa Tereża (St. Theresa Alley)
- Sur San Ġwann (St. John Bastion)
- Sur San Klement (St. Clement Bastion)
- Sur San Nikola (St. Nicholas Bastion)
- Sur San Pawl (St. Paul Bastion)
- Sur Santa Liena (St. Helen Bastion)
- Triq il-Kampnar (Bell Cot Street)
- Triq il-Kunċizzjoni (Immaculate Conception Street)
- Triq il-Madonna tal-Grazzja (Our Lady of Graces Street)
- Triq il-Pellegrinaġġ (Pilgrimage Street)
- Triq is-Sur Notre Dame (Notre Dame Bastion Street)
- Triq l-Immakulata (Immaculate Street)
- Triq l-Oratorju (Oratory Street)
- Triq San Franġisk (St. Frances Street)
- Triq San Ġorġ (St. George Street)
- Triq San Ġużepp (St. Joseph Street)
- Triq San Ġwann (St. John Street)
- Triq San Ġwann t'Għuxa (St. John the Baptist Street)
- Triq San Lazzru (St. Lazarus Street)
- Triq San Mark (St. Mark Street)
- Triq San Mikiel (St. Michael Street)
- Triq San Nikola (St. Nicholas Street)
- Triq San Pawl (St. Paul Street)
- Triq San Rokku (St. Rocco Street)
- Triq Sant' Andrija (St. Andrew Street)
- Triq Santa Liena (St. Helen Street)
- Triq Santa Margerita (St. Margerith Street)
- Triq Santa Marija (St. Mary Street)
- Triq Santa Tereża (St. Theresa Street)
- Triq tal-Karmnu (Our Lady of Monte Carmel Street)
- Wesgħa l-Knisja tan-Nattività (Nativity Church Square)
- Żona Fuq San Pawl (Above St. Paul Area)
- Żona San Ġwann t'Għuxa (St. John Area)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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