Floriana
Encyclopedia
Floriana is a town in Malta
, just outside the capital city Valletta
. Floriana is the birthplace of many famous Maltese, amongst which the composer of the national anthem
, 'L-Innu Malti
', Robert Samut
; former Bishop of Malta Dom Mauro Caruana, the poet Oliver Friggieri
, and Swedish Idol winner Kevin Borg
.
military engineer Pietro Paolo Floriani
from Macerata
who was responsible for building the town's fortifications. However, the actual building of Floriana as a residential town was the work of the Portuguese
Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena
, causing Floriana to be known by the nicknames Borgo Vilhena or Citta Vilhena. Floriana was intended to be a suburb of Valletta but then for various reasons, Grand Master Vilhena changed his mind and renamed this suburb Floriana, thus developing it as a town in its own right.
The Vikings Sailing Club is also located in Floriana, though it is not associated with the Sports Association.
is the first Maltese Saint and one of the patron saint
s of Malta and also the patron saint of Floriana. The Archipresbyteral Church of Floriana is dedicated to Saint Publius, traditionally acclaimed as the first Bishop of Malta. According to tradition, Publius received the Apostle Paul during his shipwreck on the island as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles
.
Being Maltese makes St. Publius the first Maltese saint and this explains the devotion which St. Publius enjoys around Malta and Gozo. One finds various chapels and statues scattered around the Maltese Islands which date back to hundreds of years.
Pope John Paul II
spoke at Publius Square during his two visits to Malta, and on his second visit held the beatification ceremony there for three Maltese:
The Parish of Floriana can also be found on the web at www.florianaparish.org
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, just outside the capital city Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
. Floriana is the birthplace of many famous Maltese, amongst which the composer of the national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
, 'L-Innu Malti
L-Innu Malti
"L-Innu Malti" is the national anthem of Malta. It is written in the form of a prayer to God; It was composed by Robert Samut and the lyrics were written by Dun Karm Psaila.- History :...
', Robert Samut
Robert Samut
Robert Samut M.B., CH.M was a Maltese doctor and musician. He is best known for writing the music for the Maltese National Anthem.-Early life:...
; former Bishop of Malta Dom Mauro Caruana, the poet Oliver Friggieri
Oliver Friggieri
Oliver Friggieri is a Maltese poet, novelist, literary critic, and minor philosopher. In philosophy he is mostly interested in epistemology and Existentialism.-Life:...
, and Swedish Idol winner Kevin Borg
Kevin Borg (singer)
Kevin James Borg is a Maltese pop singer who lives and works in Sweden. Borg rose to musical fame as the winner of the fifth series of the Swedish singing competition Idol in 2008...
.
Founding
Floriana is named after the ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
military engineer Pietro Paolo Floriani
Pietro Paolo Floriani
Pietro Paolo Floriani was an Italian engineer and architect. He designed many military and theatrical buildings. Historically, he is a key figure in his native town of Macerata and throughout the region of the Marche, thanks to his adventurous life as a man of arms, literary figure and military...
from Macerata
Macerata
Macerata is a city and comune in central Italy, the capital of the province of Macerata in the Marche region.The historical city center is located on a hill between the Chienti and Potenza rivers. It consisted of the Picenes city named Ricina, then, after the romanization, Recina and Helvia Recina...
who was responsible for building the town's fortifications. However, the actual building of Floriana as a residential town was the work of the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena
António Manoel de Vilhena
Dom Fra' António Manoel de Vilhena was the 66th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta from 19 June 1722 to his death in 1736....
, causing Floriana to be known by the nicknames Borgo Vilhena or Citta Vilhena. Floriana was intended to be a suburb of Valletta but then for various reasons, Grand Master Vilhena changed his mind and renamed this suburb Floriana, thus developing it as a town in its own right.
Sports
The Assoċjazzjoni Sport Floriana, or Floriana Sports Association, sponsors a number of sports in the town, as well as hosting the Floriana Supporters Club. Sporting clubs include:- Floriana Football Club which was the most successful footballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club in Malta throughout the 20th century - Floriana Amateur Football Club
- Floriana Basketball ClubFloriana basketball clubThe Floriana Basketball Club was founded in 1977 and is affiliated to the Malta Basketball Association.This Club was originally founded under the auspices of the Fsobians Club of Floriana and for the first two seasons it played under the name of Fsobians Basketball Team with the first Chairman of...
- Klabb Boċċi Floriana (trans.: Floriana Bowling Club)
- Young Stars Hockey ClubYoung Stars Hockey ClubThe Floriana Young Stars Hockey Club is a club from the town of Floriana. It is one of the main field hockey clubs in Malta.The club is affiliated to the Hockey Association of Malta....
The Vikings Sailing Club is also located in Floriana, though it is not associated with the Sports Association.
Religion
Saint PubliusSaint Publius
Saint Publius is the first maltese Saint. He is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta. Publius' conversion led to Malta being the first Christian nation in the West, and one of the first in the world....
is the first Maltese Saint and one of the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
s of Malta and also the patron saint of Floriana. The Archipresbyteral Church of Floriana is dedicated to Saint Publius, traditionally acclaimed as the first Bishop of Malta. According to tradition, Publius received the Apostle Paul during his shipwreck on the island as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
.
Being Maltese makes St. Publius the first Maltese saint and this explains the devotion which St. Publius enjoys around Malta and Gozo. One finds various chapels and statues scattered around the Maltese Islands which date back to hundreds of years.
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
spoke at Publius Square during his two visits to Malta, and on his second visit held the beatification ceremony there for three Maltese:
- Saint Ġorġ PrecaGeorge PrecaGeorge Preca was a Maltese Roman Catholic priest who founded the Society of Christian Doctrine, a society of lay catechists. In Malta, he is affectionately known as "Dun Ġorġ" and is popularly referred to as the "Second Apostle of Malta", after Saint Paul of Tarsus...
(founder of the Society of Christian DoctrineSociety of Christian DoctrineThe Societas Doctrinæ Christianæ M.U.S.E.U.M. is a society for Catholic lay men and women in Malta who want to dedicate themselves fully to God and to help the Church in the faith formation of children, youths and adults. It was founded by the St. George Preca in 1907...
) - Bl.Injazju FalzonNazju FalzonBlessed Ignatius Falzon was a Maltese priest who was beatified in 2001.Falzon was born to Francis Joseph Falzon, a judge, and Mary Teresa Falzon, the daughter of a judge. He had three brothers; all four became lawyers, and two of the brothers entered the priesthood...
- Bl.Maria Adeodata PisaniMaria Adeodata PisaniBorn 29 December 1806 at Naples, Italy; Died 25 February 1855 at the Benedictine monastery at Mdina, MaltaVenerated: 24 April 2001 by Pope John Paul II Beatified: 9 May 2001 by Pope John Paul II...
The Parish of Floriana can also be found on the web at www.florianaparish.org
Main sights
- Soċjetà Filarmonika Vilhena, or Vilhena Band Club, named after the town's founder.
- Pjazza San Publiju (St. Publius Square) and the adjacent granaries. St Publius Square has been the venue for many important events in the history of Malta.
- The Mall
- Centru Rikreattiv ir-Re Gorg V (King George V Recreational Grounds)
- Porte des BombesPorte des BombesThe Porte des Bombes is an ornamental gate in the Floriana Lines, which formed the outer defensive walls of Valletta, Malta. It is situated between Pietà Creek and Marsa to the west and southeast, and the suburb of Floriana to the east...
- Herbert GanadoHerbert GanadoHerbert Ganado was a Maltese lawyer, president of Catholic Action, editor, politician and author.Born in Floriana on 7 April 1906 on the island of Malta, Ganado studied at the Lyceum and University of Malta and graduated as a lawyer in 1931. He was active at university and shortly after became...
Gardens - Argotti Botanical Gardens
- Msida Bastions Garden of Rest, on Haywharf, another landmark which has been restored and reportedly contains the grave of Mikiel Anton VassalliMikiel Anton VassalliMikiel Anton Vassalli was a Maltese writer, a philosopher, and a linguist who published important Maltese language books, including a Maltese-Italian dictionary, a Maltese grammar book, the Maltese Gospels and, towards the end of his life, a book on Maltese proverbs.-Life:Mikiel Anton Vassalli was...
, an 18th century writer and reformer who is much associated with Malta's national identity. - Jubilee Grove (which demarcates the town from Hamrun and Pieta')
- Valletta WaterfrontValletta WaterfrontThe Valletta Waterfront, in Floriana, Malta, is baroque wharf built by Manuel Pinto de Fonseca in the 18th century. It has been thoroughly renovated by a private consortium who run the Waterfront and offer management overseeing for Malta's cruise liner business...
- Hydrofoil terminal, which is very busy during summertime with daily departures to Sicily.
Village Core
- Pjazza Emm. S. Tonna (E.S. Tonna Square)
- Pjazza San Kalċidonju (St. Calcidonio Square)
- Triq il-Konservatorju (Conservatory Street)
- Triq il-Mall (Maglio Street)
- Triq il-Miratur (Gunlayer Street)
- Triq is-Suq (Market Street)
- Triq l-Argotti (Argotti Street)
- Triq l-Iljun (Lion Street)
- Triq l-Isqof M. Caruana (Bishop M. Caruana Street)
- Triq San Publju (St. Publius Street)
- Triq San Tumas (St. Thomas Street)
- Triq Sarria (Sarria Street)
Government
Floriana is a leading administrative centre, hosting the Ministry and Dept of Education, the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs, Police Headquarters and the Public Works Dept, The Licensing and Testing Office, and Land Transport Directorate of Transport Malta, as well as other financial and commercial companies spread around the former Colonial Administrative Area of Beltissebh. The National Audit Office along with the Department of Contracts and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, are located in two fort ravelins, Notre Dame and St. Francis, respectively.Lodging and entertainment
Floriana is home to the Hotel Phoenicia Malta, one of the oldest and most prestigious hotels on Malta, as well as the 5 star luxury Hotel; and the Grand Hotel Excelsior. There are also plans by the Maltese government to convert the old British hospital, Sir Paul Boffa which overlooks the Valletta Waterfront (also in Floriana) into an exclusive boutique hotel.Music
- Vilhena Band Club (Soċjetà Filarmonika Vilhena) was founded in 1874. The first musical director of the band was Mro. Giuseppe Borg, and the first president of the Society was Baldassare Portanier.
- Kevin BorgKevin Borg (singer)Kevin James Borg is a Maltese pop singer who lives and works in Sweden. Borg rose to musical fame as the winner of the fifth series of the Swedish singing competition Idol in 2008...
a Maltese singer and Swedish Idol 2008Idol 2008The fifth season of Swedish Idol premiered on September 3, 2008 and continued until its grand finale on 12 December, when 22-year-old Kevin Borg was crowned winner. It was the first season to feature new judges Laila Bagge, Anders Bagge and Andreas Carlsson, a move that made it the first Idol...
winner was born in the town. He moved to ArvidsjaurArvidsjaurArvidsjaur is a locality and the seat of Arvidsjaur Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 4,644 inhabitants in 2005.Arvidsjaur is a large centre for the European car industry. During the winter months major car-manufacturers perform arctic trials in the Arvidsjaur Municipality area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in late 2007 to live with his girlfriend and was soon cast as a contestant on the Swedish Idol seriesIdol seriesThe British talent search television series Pop Idol has spawned spin-offs in 42 territories, in what is now referred to as the "Idols" format, as described by FremantleMedia...
.
Floriana Community Services
- St. Publius Parish Church, Triq Sarria (Sarria Street)
- Floriana Local Council, Pjazza Emanuel S. Tonna (Emanuel S. Tonna Square)
- Floriana Police Station, Triq Sant' Anna (St. Anne Street)
- Floriana Malta Labour Party Club, Triq Sant' Anna (St. Anne Street)
- Floriana Partit Nazzjonalista Club, Pjazza Sant' Anna (St. Anne Square)
- Sir Paul Boffa Hospital, Sqaq Ħarper (Harper Lane)
- Floriana Health Centre, Triq Franġisk Saver Fenech (Frances Xavier Fenech Street)
- Central Public Library, Triq Joseph J. Mangion (J.J. Mangion Street)
Zones in Floriana
- Balzunetta
- Belt il-Ħażna, limits of Blata l-BajdaBlata l-BajdaBlata l-Bajda is a suburb of Ħamrun in Malta, on the way to VallettaNotable buildings include the Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and St. Joseph School, a school run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition. Spencer Monument is also found in this hamlet.Maria Regina Girls...
- Belt-is-Sebħ
- Crown Works, limits of Blata l-BajdaBlata l-BajdaBlata l-Bajda is a suburb of Ħamrun in Malta, on the way to VallettaNotable buildings include the Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and St. Joseph School, a school run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition. Spencer Monument is also found in this hamlet.Maria Regina Girls...
- Fuq il-Biskuttin
- Foss Horns
- Foss Notre Dame
- Ġnien Tal-Milorda
- Hay Wharf (Xatt it-Tiben)
- Il-Fosos
- Il-Mall
- Independence Arena (Xagħra tal-Furjana)
- Jubilee Grove
- Sa Maison
- SarriaSarriaSarria is a municipality in the province of Lugo, northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Sarria is the most densely populate town on the French Way in Galicia, with 13 700 inhabitants...
- Tal-Bombi
- Xatt il-Kanuni
- Xatt Lascaris (Lascaris Wharf)
Main roads in Floriana
- Pjazza E.S. Tonna (E.S. Tonna Square)
- Pjazza Robert Samut (Robert Samut Square)
- Triq Ġilormu Cassar (Gilormo Cassar Street)
- Triq il-Kapuċċini (Capuchins Street)
- Telgħat il-Kurċifiss (Crucifix Hill)
- Triq il-Mall (Mall Street)
- Vjal ir-Re Dwardu VII (King Edward VII Avenue)
- Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir (Great Siege Street)
- Triq l-Indipendenza (Independence Street)
- Triq Nazzjonali (National Road)
- Triq Pintu (Pinto Street)
- Triq Sa Maison (Sa Maison Road)
- Triq San Franġisk (St. Frances Street)
- Triq San Kalċidonju (St. Calcidonio Street)
- Triq Sant' Anna (St Anne Street)
- Triq Sarria (Sarria Street)
- Triq V.Dimech (V.Dimech Street)
- Triq Vilhena (Vilhena Street)
- Xatt it-Tiben (Hay Wharf)
- Xatt Lascaris (Lascaris Wharf)
- Triq il- Miratur (Gunlayer Street)