Maltese architecture
has its origins in prehistory, and some of the oldest free-standing structures on Earth ? a series of
megalithic temples
? can be found on
Malta
.
[1]
The islands were colonized by the
Phoenicians
and later the
Romans
, who established the cities of
Melite
and
Gaulos
. Although these were substantial settlements and are known to have had numerous temples, churches and palaces, few remains have survived apart from some architectural fragments.
[2]
After the
fall of the Western Roman Empire
, Malta became part of the
Byzantine Empire
, before falling to the Arabs in 870. Virtually no examples of Byzantine or Arab architecture have survived, although the Arabs left a significant influence on Maltese vernacular architecture which remained popular in subsequent centuries. Malta became part of the
County
and later the
Kingdom of Sicily
in 1091, and
Norman architecture
and other European styles were introduced to the island. Relatively few examples of medieval architecture have survived, including a few buildings in
Mdina
and the
Cittadella
, as well as several chapels in the Maltese countryside.
[2]
Maltese architecture flourished while the islands were
under the rule
of the
Order of St. John
from 1530 to 1798. The Hospitallers introduced
Renaissance architecture
to Malta in the mid-16th century, with the
Baroque style
becoming popular about a century later. The two and a half centuries of Hospitaller rule saw the establishment of new settlements (most notably the capital
Valletta
) and the construction of many churches, palaces and public buildings. The Order also built
bastioned
fortifications
around the main cities, apart from a series of coastal and inland defences.
[3]
After Malta became part of the
British Empire
in 1800,
Neoclassical
and
Neo-Gothic architecture
were introduced, and they were the predominant styles of the 19th century.
[3]
Several styles left an influence on Maltese architecture in the first half of the 20th century, including
Art Nouveau
,
Art Deco
,
Italian futurism
,
rationalism
and
modernism
.
[4]
Malta experienced a building boom after
World War II
, which increased after independence in 1964.
[5]
The modernist style remained popular, but new styles such as
critical regionalism
were also introduced.
Prehistoric architecture
[
edit
]
The
?gantija
temples (two sites) were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.
[6]
In 1992, the UNESCO Committee further extended the existing listing to include five other megalithic temple sites. These are
Ħa?ar Qim
(in
Qrendi
),
Mnajdra
(in Qrendi),
Ta' Ħa?rat Temples
(in
M?arr
),
Skorba Temples
(in
?ebbiegħ
) and Tarxien Temples (in
Tarxien
).
[6]
Nowadays, the sites are managed by
Heritage Malta
, while ownership of the surrounding lands varies from site to site.
[7]
[8]
Apart from these, there are other megalithic temples in Malta which are not included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Roman architecture
[
edit
]
The
Domvs Romana
(
Latin
for "
Roman
House"), is a ruined Roman-era house located on the boundary between
Mdina
and
Rabat
,
Malta
. It was built in the 1st century BC as an aristocratic town house (
domus
) within the Roman city of
Melite
.
Arab architecture
[
edit
]
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December 2019
)
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Medieval architecture
[
edit
]
-
-
-
-
-
Aerial view at night of the
Cittadella (Gozo)
in 2017, showing the Hospitaller-era bastions
Maltese Baroque architecture
[
edit
]
The Maltese Baroque is the form of
Baroque architecture
that developed in
Malta
during the 17th and 18th centuries, when the islands were
under the rule
of the
Order of St. John
.
[9]
The Baroque style was introduced in Malta in the early 17th century, possibly by the Bolognese engineer
Bontadino de Bontadini
during the construction of the
Wignacourt Aqueduct
. The style became popular in the mid to late 17th century, and it reached its peak during the 18th century, when monumental Baroque structures such as
Auberge de Castille
were constructed.
The Baroque style began to be replaced by
neoclassical architecture
and other styles in the early 19th century, when Malta was under
British rule
. Despite this, Baroque elements continued to influence traditional Maltese architecture. Many churches continued to the built in the Baroque style throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and to a lesser extent in the 21st century.
[10]
19th century architecture
[
edit
]
Victorian architecture
[
edit
]
Neoclassical architecture
[
edit
]
Neoclassical architecture was introduced in Malta in the late 18th century, during the final years of
Hospitaller rule
. Early examples include the
Bibliotheca
(1786),
[11]
the
De Rohan Arch
(1798)
[12]
and the
Hompesch Gate
(1801).
[13]
However, neoclassical architecture only became popular in Malta following the
establishment of British rule
in the early 19th century. In 1814, a neoclassical
portico
decorated with the British coat of arms was added to the
Main Guard
building so as to serve as a symbol of British Malta. Other 19th century neoclassical buildings include the
Monument to Sir Alexander Ball
(1810),
RNH Bighi
(1832),
St Paul's Pro-Cathedral
(1844), the
Rotunda of Mosta
(1860) and the now-destroyed
Royal Opera House
(1866).
[14]
Neoclassicism gave way to other architectural styles by the late 19th century. Few buildings were built in the neoclassical style during the 20th century, such as the
Domvs Romana
museum (1922),
[15]
and the
Courts of Justice building
in Valletta (1965?71).
[16]
Romanesque Revival architecture
[
edit
]
Gothic Revival architecture
[
edit
]
Neo-Renaissance
[
edit
]
Moorish Revival architecture
[
edit
]
Eclecticism
[
edit
]
20th century architecture
[
edit
]
Art Nouveau / Art Deco architecture
[
edit
]
-
-
-
-
Private residence of
Joseph Colombo
in Triq d'Argens (G?ira), 1936. The traditional townhouse had been reinterpreted in a modernist style making use of strong geometric motifs.
-
-
Modernist architecture
[
edit
]
Contemporary architecture
[
edit
]
[18]
Notable Maltese architects
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Ellul, Michael (1989). "L-identita` kulturali ta' Malta : kungress nazzjonali, 13-15 ta' April 1989". In T. Cortis (ed.).
L-arkitettura : xhieda ta' l-identita' nazzjonali
(PDF)
(in Maltese). Valletta: Department of Information. p. 93-116.
- ^
a
b
Galea, R. V. (1954).
"Architecture in Malta"
(PDF)
.
Scientia
.
8
(3): 99?107. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 18 April 2016.
- ^
a
b
Galea, R. V. (1954).
"Architecture in Malta (Continued)"
(PDF)
.
Scientia
.
8
(4): 148?160. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 17 April 2016.
- ^
Said, Edward. David Felice (ed.).
"The Architecture of Gustavo R. Vincenti (1888-1974)"
(PDF)
.
The Architect
. Media Today: 18?19. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 20 January 2018.
- ^
Thake, Conrad (2014). David Mallia (ed.).
"Architecture in Post-Independence Malta: Past, Present and Future"
(PDF)
.
Melita Historica
.
16
(3). Book Distributors Limited: 89?100.
ISSN
1021-6952
.
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
a
b
"Megalithic Temples of Malta"
. Retrieved
2008-09-16
.
- ^
"Malta Temples and The OTS Foundation"
. Otsf.org
. Retrieved
2009-07-22
.
- ^
David Trump et al., Malta Before History (2004: Miranda Publishers)
- ^
[1]
[
dead link
]
- ^
"Conference proceedings"
(PDF)
.
susanklaiber.files.wordpress.com
. 2018
. Retrieved
2019-09-23
.
- ^
"Bibliotheca"
(PDF)
.
National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
. 28 December 2012. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 6 December 2015.
- ^
"Rohan Gate, ?ebbu?"
.
Times of Malta
. 11 December 2012. Archived from
the original
on 4 December 2015.
- ^
Botig, Klaus (2011).
Malta, Gozo. Con atlante stradale
(in Italian). EDT srl. p. 54.
ISBN
9788860407818
.
- ^
"Architecture in Malta under the British"
.
culturemalta.org
. Archived from
the original
on 7 October 2015.
- ^
"Domvs Romana"
.
Heritage Malta
. Archived from
the original
on 5 January 2015.
- ^
"The Courts"
.
The Judiciary ? Malta
. Archived from
the original
on 6 January 2015.
- ^
"Gozo Museum given go ahead to be housed in "modernist" building"
. May 3, 2018.
- ^
"Contemporary Architecture That Makes You Proud To Be Maltese"
.
lovinmalta.com
. 28 July 2016.
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