382:
401:
voted funds for rebuilding the tower. The Birgu Local
Council agreed on rebuilding it during a council meeting on 26 April 2007, and submitted a development permit to construct the replica. In January 2015, The Alfred Mizzi Foundation announced that it will finance the reconstruction of the tower, to
393:
In 2004, part of the tower's foundations consisting of original cut rock on site was uncovered during an archaeological excavation by the
Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. This find caused a dispute among Birgu residents as to whether the tower should be rebuilt or not. Some argued that it is a
362:. On 4 April 1942, a bomb fell close to the tower. Part of the structure collapsed on the night between 11 and 12 April due to the damage sustained. The remaining part of the tower was hit again two weeks later, causing further damage. The ruins were completely demolished in October 1944.
38:
413:
The tower had a quadrilateral plan, and it was around 40 m (130 ft) high. It had five floors of different heights, with a balcony supported on corbels surrounding the fourth floor. A small turret was located on one corner of the tower.
815:
890:
389:
The debate as to whether or not to rebuild the tower began soon after its destruction. The
Historical and Cultural Society of Vittoriosa organized a meeting requesting the rebuilding of the tower on 19 December 1954.
790:
825:
441:
640:
840:
402:
coincide with the 450th anniversary of the 1565 siege. The replica is estimated to cost around €300,000. This move was welcomed by the Birgu Local
Council and the Ministry of Infrastructure.
768:
604:
466:
665:
308:
The upper parts of the tower remained public property. A clock was placed on the tower's top floor in 1629 that was built to the designs of
Antonio Garsin, during the magistracy of
895:
885:
722:
365:
Most of the mechanism of the clock still exist, and it is in storage at the local council premises. The clock's hands are displayed at the Church Museum in Birgu and
490:
405:
In July 2015, Birgu mayor John Boxall announced that a referendum might be held among Birgu residents in order to decide whether or not to rebuild the tower.
689:
394:
historical site which deserves to be rebuilt, while others said that it would not be the same as the original, and it would take up scarce parking spaces.
800:
870:
451:
580:"Protection of Antiquities Regulations 21st November, 1932 Government Notice 402 of 1932, as Amended by Government Notices 127 of 1935 and 338 of 1939"
650:
905:
850:
584:
776:
346:
In 1921, a marble tablet commemorating Malta's new constitution was affixed to the tower. The tower was included on the
Antiquities List of 1925.
476:
675:
553:
880:
282:
in Malta, their coat of arms and the date 1549 were inscribed on the façade. According to some sources, the tower was rebuilt at this point.
746:
114:
732:
619:
240:. The tower was probably built in the Middle Ages, although some sources state that it was constructed in 1549. It served as a
875:
236:. It was located in Victory Square, the city's main square, and it was a prominent landmark in Birgu and the rest of the
286:
107:
579:
704:
290:
900:
530:
820:
795:
294:
249:
398:
279:
86:
754:
769:"The Reconstruction of the Vittoriosa Clock Tower and the Re-Embellishment of Misraħ ir-Rebħa"
259:. Some of its foundations still exist, and plans have been made for rebuilding the structure.
816:"Soup kitchen to be reintroduced in Malta; Birgu's clock tower to be rebuilt in main square"
309:
209:
385:
Victory Square today, with the patch of lighter tarmac showing where the clock tower stood
358:, Birgu was heavily bombarded by Italian and German bombers due to its proximity to the
727:
670:
645:
471:
446:
366:
359:
864:
272:
245:
355:
327:
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and the surrounding countryside. An alarm bell was installed in the tower in 1504.
256:
237:
267:
The Birgu Clock Tower is believed to have been built in the medieval period as a
845:
381:
225:
76:
37:
268:
241:
129:
116:
841:"Referendum before end of year on the re-building of Vittoriosa Clock Tower"
312:, and this was commemorated by a Latin inscription on the tower which read;
188:
589:
302:
700:
298:
335:
558:
Arx - International
Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification
297:
in 1565. Following the transfer of the capital city from Birgu to
370:
331:
233:
229:
100:
96:
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in 1565. A clock was installed in the tower in the 17th century.
891:
Buildings and structures in Malta destroyed during World War II
538:
301:, in 1572 the Order sold part of the tower to a family from
248:
and the surrounding countryside, and it saw use during the
791:"Vittoriosa Clock tower to be rebuilt to its former glory"
255:
The building was destroyed by aerial bombardment during
42:
View of the Birgu Clock Tower c. 1930s or early 1940s
641:"Demolished clock tower creates dilemma for council"
554:"In Defence of the Coast (I) - The Bastioned Towers"
194:
184:
179:
171:
161:
153:
145:
106:
92:
82:
72:
64:
59:
51:
23:
603:Cassar Pullicino, Joseph (October–December 1949).
634:
632:
435:
433:
431:
429:
427:
467:"Residents divided over turning back the clock"
314:
605:"The Order of St. John in Maltese folk-memory"
442:"Reclaiming Vittoriosa's medieval watch tower"
8:
896:Demolished buildings and structures in Malta
751:Vittoriosa Historical & Cultural Society
886:Buildings and structures demolished in 1942
666:"Against rebuilding Vittoriosa clock tower"
293:used the tower for surveillance during the
20:
524:
522:
520:
518:
516:
514:
747:"Will the Clock Tower be reconstructed?"
585:Malta Environment and Planning Authority
380:
423:
664:Farrugia, Anthony (3 September 2006).
305:, who used it as a private residence.
7:
814:Bonnici, Therese (16 January 2015).
697:Superintendence of Cultural Heritage
703:. 2004. p. 10. Archived from
639:Testa, Michael (27 January 2004).
14:
871:Buildings and structures in Birgu
723:"Urban archaeology at Vittoriosa"
721:Pace, Anthony (26 January 2004).
465:Testa, Michael (6 January 2004).
440:Bugeja, Lino (8 September 2013).
753:. September 2009. Archived from
36:
906:1942 disestablishments in Malta
839:Castillo, Ruth (18 July 2015).
160:
799:. 25 June 2007. Archived from
1:
278:Following the arrival of the
214:It-Torri tal-Arloġġ tal-Birgu
30:It-Torri tal-Arloġġ tal-Birgu
881:Limestone buildings in Malta
552:Spiteri, Stephen C. (2013).
287:Francisco Balbi di Correggio
244:since it had views over the
167:October 1944 (ruins cleared)
397:In the budget of 2006, the
18:Clock tower in Birgu, Malta
922:
47:
35:
28:
618:(4): 159. Archived from
377:Plans for reconstruction
319:me fecit nobili civitati
29:
291:Jean Parisot de Valette
271:, and had views of the
175:40 m (130 ft)
386:
344:
218:Vittoriosa Clock Tower
213:
130:35.888028°N 14.52194°E
55:Vittoriosa Clock Tower
876:Clock towers in Malta
821:The Malta Independent
796:The Malta Independent
384:
157:possibly rebuilt 1549
853:on 22 December 2015.
803:on 22 December 2015.
779:on 22 December 2015.
757:on 22 December 2015.
735:on 22 December 2015.
690:"Annual Report 2004"
678:on 22 December 2015.
653:on 22 December 2015.
491:"Newspaper clipping"
479:on 22 December 2015.
454:on 23 December 2015.
295:Great Siege of Malta
250:Great Siege of Malta
146:Construction started
773:Birgu Local Council
541:on 26 October 2014.
535:Birgu Local Council
399:Government of Malta
317:Evantunellu Carbuni
220:and originally the
216:), also called the
165:April 1942 (bombed)
135:35.888028; 14.52194
126: /
83:Architectural style
60:General information
387:
625:on 17 April 2016.
592:on 19 April 2016.
531:"The Clock Tower"
280:Order of St. John
222:Civic Clock Tower
206:Birgu Clock Tower
202:
201:
180:Technical details
52:Alternative names
24:Birgu Clock Tower
913:
855:
854:
849:. Archived from
836:
830:
829:
828:on 14 July 2015.
824:. Archived from
811:
805:
804:
787:
781:
780:
775:. Archived from
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758:
743:
737:
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731:. Archived from
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674:. Archived from
661:
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649:. Archived from
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609:
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588:. Archived from
576:
570:
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542:
537:. Archived from
529:Gauci, Gregory.
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509:
508:
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487:
481:
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475:. Archived from
462:
456:
455:
450:. Archived from
437:
330:- requested by
310:Antoine de Paule
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289:, Grand Master
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43:
31:
19:
12:
11:
5:
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856:
831:
806:
782:
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738:
728:Times of Malta
713:
710:on 1 May 2017.
681:
671:Times of Malta
656:
646:Times of Malta
628:
595:
571:
544:
510:
482:
472:Times of Malta
457:
447:Times of Malta
422:
421:
419:
416:
410:
407:
378:
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367:Palazzo Falson
360:Malta Dockyard
351:
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315:
264:
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53:
49:
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45:
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33:
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26:
25:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
918:
907:
904:
902:
901:Former towers
899:
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285:According to
283:
281:
276:
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273:Grand Harbour
270:
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253:
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246:Grand Harbour
243:
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111:
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102:
98:
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87:Siculo-Norman
85:
81:
78:
75:
71:
67:
63:
58:
54:
50:
46:
39:
34:
27:
22:
16:
851:the original
844:
834:
826:the original
819:
809:
801:the original
794:
785:
777:the original
772:
763:
755:the original
750:
741:
733:the original
726:
716:
705:the original
696:
684:
676:the original
669:
659:
651:the original
644:
620:the original
615:
611:
598:
590:the original
583:
574:
562:. Retrieved
557:
547:
539:the original
534:
501:. Retrieved
497:
485:
477:the original
470:
460:
452:the original
445:
412:
409:Architecture
404:
396:
392:
388:
364:
356:World War II
353:
345:
326:
316:
307:
284:
277:
266:
257:World War II
254:
238:Three Cities
221:
217:
205:
203:
118:35°53′16.9″N
15:
350:Destruction
226:clock tower
195:Floor count
149:Middle Ages
133: /
108:Coordinates
77:Clock tower
865:Categories
418:References
334:nobles -
328:alarm bell
325:(Meaning:
323:MCCCCCIIII
269:watchtower
242:watchtower
121:14°31′19″E
498:um.edu.mt
189:Limestone
162:Destroyed
154:Renovated
68:Destroyed
701:Valletta
612:Scientia
503:15 April
299:Valletta
224:, was a
185:Material
93:Location
560:(3): 85
354:During
336:Messina
321:Messanæ
263:History
210:Maltese
338:- 1504
303:Għaxaq
172:Height
65:Status
708:(PDF)
693:(PDF)
623:(PDF)
608:(PDF)
564:9 May
494:(PDF)
371:Mdina
234:Malta
230:Birgu
101:Malta
97:Birgu
566:2015
505:2024
332:city
204:The
73:Type
846:TVM
369:in
228:in
867::
843:.
818:.
793:.
771:.
749:.
725:.
699:.
695:.
668:.
643:.
631:^
616:15
614:.
610:.
582:.
556:.
533:.
513:^
496:.
469:.
444:.
426:^
373:.
232:,
212::
99:,
568:.
507:.
340:)
208:(
198:5
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