Valletta Waterfront

Valletta Waterfront at night
Valletta Waterfront by day

The Valletta Waterfront, also known as Pinto Wharf, is a baroque wharf in Floriana, Malta.[1] The buildings were originally stores and warehouses built in the 18th century. The area now plays a role in Malta's cruise liner business, and it also contains a concentration of bars, retail outlets and restaurants. It was also a venue for several concerts and events, such as the Malta Jazz Festival, the Malta Fireworks Festival and the Perfect Wedding Fair.

History

The waterfront viewed from above, showing the car park behind some of the facades.

The Valletta Waterfront was originally built in 1752 by Grandmaster Manuel Pinto de Fonseca. There were nineteen stores and a church.

The area was devastated by aerial bombardment in World War II, due to its proximity to the Malta Dockyard and the British naval forces in Grand Harbour. Some of the stores were completely destroyed during the war.

The area was thoroughly restored and renovated in recent years. For the buildings which had been completely destroyed in the war, only the facades were rebuilt and not the interior. The area behind these facades is now a car park. The doors of the buildings were painted with different colours signifying the different types of goods that were once stored in them. Blue signified storage of fish, green for produce, yellow for wheat and red for wine.

The Valletta Waterfront is now run by a private consortium who offers management overseeing for Malta's cruise liner business. The waterfront also contains 12 restaurants and a number of bars and retail outlets. Various events are also held in the Waterfront and the immediate vicinity.[2]

Flight into Egypt Church

The waterfront also contains the Flight into Egypt Church, which was built in 1752 along with the stores. The church was also bombed in World War II, but it has since been restored. Mass is celebrated here every Saturday evening.[3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valletta Waterfront.
  1. ↑ Psaila, Christian (8 December 2005). "The Floriana Waterfront". Times of Malta. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Spend some quality time". Times of Malta. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  3. ↑ Scerri, John. "Floriana". malta-canada.com. Retrieved 15 November 2014.

External links

Coordinates: 35°53′24″N 14°30′29″E / 35.89000°N 14.50806°E