Lija
Encyclopedia
Lija is a small village on the island of Malta
. It forms part of the Three villages of Malta, along with Attard
and Balzan
. Lija has a baroque parish church
and seven other small chapels. The parish church is dedicated to Our Saviour and is currently undergoing an extensive restoration project in order to save priceless art work and Calì
paintings that are found surrounding the church's ceilings. Lija became a parish in 1594, after the small community detached itself from the neighbouring town, Birkirkara
.
Lija is mostly known for its fireworks
displays that attract thousands of locals and tourists during the festa period held in the first week of August. These displays are very well renowned and claimed to be the best around the island. The Lija fireworks team also won an international fireworks competition held in Monaco
back in 1980. In 2006, the Lija fireworks factory placed second in a Fireworks festival organised at the Grand Harbour in Malta's capital, Valletta
.
Lija also hosts the Maltese Citrus festival, held each year.
Lija has several old houses of character, large citrus gardens, a unique Belvedere tower and Villa Francia. The official University Residence of the University of Malta
is also situated in this village.
Lija Athletic F.C.
is the village's football club. This club has been promoted to Malta's Premier (highest) Division for three times in its history. Considering the small size of the village and the resource and financial limitations, this was deemed to be a huge success by local sport enthusiasts. Lija Athletic, with the collaboration of the Local Council inaugurated a new synthetic pitch on July 6 2007 (Jum Ħal Lija or "Lija Day"). This pitch is situated in the village's primary school grounds. This year, 2009, the Club is celebrating its 60th Anniversary since its foundation.
British author Anthony Burgess
, whose works include A Clockwork Orange
, resided in Lija for three years (1968-1970). At Lija there is also the villa where politician Mabel Strickland
, daughter of Lord Gerald Strickland, lived.
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...
. It forms part of the Three villages of Malta, along with Attard
Attard
Ħ'Attard is a village located at the centre-most point of the island of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija it forms part of "the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. Ħ'Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo due to its many flower gardens and citrus...
and Balzan
Balzan
Ħal Balzan is small village in Malta, one of the so called three villages, together with Attard and Lija.The village originally consisted of a group of small dwellings and farms but eventually grew, becoming a parish in the 17th century...
. Lija has a baroque parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
and seven other small chapels. The parish church is dedicated to Our Saviour and is currently undergoing an extensive restoration project in order to save priceless art work and Calì
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
paintings that are found surrounding the church's ceilings. Lija became a parish in 1594, after the small community detached itself from the neighbouring town, Birkirkara
Birkirkara
Birkirkara or B'Kara is a city of 25,858 inhabitants in central Malta. It is the most populated town on the island and consists of four autonomous parishes: St Helen, St Joseph, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Mary. It also houses one of the most famous colleges in Malta, St Aloysius' College...
.
Culture
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
displays that attract thousands of locals and tourists during the festa period held in the first week of August. These displays are very well renowned and claimed to be the best around the island. The Lija fireworks team also won an international fireworks competition held in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
back in 1980. In 2006, the Lija fireworks factory placed second in a Fireworks festival organised at the Grand Harbour in Malta's capital, 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...
.
Lija also hosts the Maltese Citrus festival, held each year.
Lija has several old houses of character, large citrus gardens, a unique Belvedere tower and Villa Francia. The official University Residence of the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
is also situated in this village.
Lija Athletic F.C.
Lija Athletic F.C.
Lija Athletic Football Club is a football team originating from the village of Lija, Malta...
is the village's football club. This club has been promoted to Malta's Premier (highest) Division for three times in its history. Considering the small size of the village and the resource and financial limitations, this was deemed to be a huge success by local sport enthusiasts. Lija Athletic, with the collaboration of the Local Council inaugurated a new synthetic pitch on July 6 2007 (Jum Ħal Lija or "Lija Day"). This pitch is situated in the village's primary school grounds. This year, 2009, the Club is celebrating its 60th Anniversary since its foundation.
British author Anthony Burgess
Anthony Burgess
John Burgess Wilson – who published under the pen name Anthony Burgess – was an English author, poet, playwright, composer, linguist, translator and critic. The dystopian satire A Clockwork Orange is Burgess's most famous novel, though he dismissed it as one of his lesser works...
, whose works include A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian novella by Anthony Burgess. The novel contains an experiment in language: the characters often use an argot called "Nadsat", derived from Russian....
, resided in Lija for three years (1968-1970). At Lija there is also the villa where politician Mabel Strickland
Mabel Strickland
Mabel Edeline Strickland, OBE was a Maltese journalist and politician, the daughter of Sir Gerald Strickland , the former Prime Minister of Malta....
, daughter of Lord Gerald Strickland, lived.
Lija Local Council
The current Lija local council members are:- Castaldi Paris Ian (Mayor, PN)
- Magda Magri Naudi (deputy Mayor PN)
- Dalli Jeremy Anthony (PN)
- Sant Marc (PL)
- Farrugia Lorraine (PL)
Zones
- Ħal Mann (Mann Town)
- Ta' Bajdun
- Ta' Seguna (Seguna's Village)
- Tad-Daħla (Entrance Village)
- Tad-Daqqaq (Cotton Worker's Village)
- Tal-Mirakli (Miracles' Village)
- Wied Lija (Lija Valley)
Main roads
- Triq Annibale Preca
- Triq Carmelo Farrugia
- Triq il-Forn
- Triq il-Kbira (Main Street)
- Triq il-Mosta (Mosta Road)
- Triq Robert Mifsud Bonnici
- Triq Sant' Andrija
- Triq Sant' Antnin (St Anthony Street)
- Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud
- Vjal it-Trasfigurazzjoni (Transfiguration Avenue)
- Triq Gużeppi Portelli