Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici visited ongoing restoration works on the historic walls located along the St Paul’s Basilica Parvis in Rabat (Malta).
These historic walls are one of the ten projects chosen from the Local Councils Scheme Call of 2020/21. The project was proposed by the Rabat (Malta) Local Council and all the works, including site documentation to Planning permit application, to subsequent site interventions were carried out by the Restoration Directorate employees.
Works started in June 2022 and it is envisaged that they will be completed by the end of July 2023. Minister Bonnici said that this restoration work will continue to build upon the continuous efforts to preserve our national heritage.
He also stated that the Government will continue to commit itself to identifying and safeguarding places of historical value like this site in the various localities.“We will continue investing to strengthen Malta’s cultural heritage and I thank the hard-working workers who are carrying out this impeccable work,” he said.
The architect in charge of the works, Stephen Pulis explained the works that are being carried out. The interventions being done include, among others: cleaning of the historic walls from biological growth and other superficial deposits, pointing of open joints with a lime-based mortar, removal of graffiti, cement plastering and renders, and steel electrical conduits which were a recent addition, cleaning and consolidation of the existing stone statues, the sculptures and motifs that are placed symmetrically along the walls as well as replacement of the finials and ornamental stone sculptures that had been lost over time.
The site is dedicated to St Paul and has been a holy destination for numerous pilgrims and travellers from other countries for centuries. They were built on the two sides of an old east-west passage in 1906, have sculpted motifs flanking both sides and stone statues representing the souls in purgatory. Finials symbolising flames were also commissioned and installed at the time on the walls to remind visitors that these are holy cemetery grounds.
Present at the press conference were also members of the Rabat Local Council and the Archpriest Fr Joe Mizzi.
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