Mosta Heritage trail

Mosta is in the geographic centre of Malta. Some say that the name Mosta or Musta as it used to be pronounced until fairly recently is derived from the Arabic root W-S-T which means centre. Others are of the opinion that the name is derived from the Arabic adjective mistur or hidden. Whatever the source of the name, modern day Mosta has grown into one of the more popular towns in Malta, not only owing to its being well connected and well served with amenities, but the people it has produced are amongst the most patriotic of the Maltese Islands. For a map of the walk, scroll down to the bottom of the page or access it directly here.

Mosta is most known for its Rotunda, Giorgio Grognet de Vasse's masterpiece which is visible from a significant distance away from Mosta proper. This church which replaced a typical Latin cross planned church design by Tumas Dingli started off  in a quite controversial manner. The design is strongly inspired by the pantheon in Rome as the images below show.

The basic design similarities between the two buildings are obvious for anyone who looks at them from a similar angle. The same applies to the interior, were once again it is evident that the circular plan of the pantheon was the main source of inspiration for Grognet. 

The history of the Rotunda is well known and oft repeated, with particular reference to the miracle which happened on 9th April 1942 when a bomb was dropped by enemy aircraft which penetrated the dome, hit the side of the church to the right and above the main door and skidded on the floor towards the altar, with the church full of people owing to holy mass being concelebrated at the time. 

Many articles and books have been written on the Mosta rotunda, spawning many legends, folk tales and stories. However the generosity of the Mosta people as well as their physical labour on the day of rest is the stuff of legends. The self supporting dome was inconceivable at the time and learned men placed wagers that the whole would collapse upon itself prior to completion, however Grognet's design and Anglu Gatt's masonry skills proved them wrong. 

Archaeology

Apart from the rotunda, Mosta has numerous other heritage features which are worth visiting. There are numerous archaeological remains consisting of cart-ruts, dolmens and catacombs which span over a number of centuries and periods. The most significant of these was probably the Bronze-Age settlement which has been redeveloped as the Fort Mosta complex, if Grognet's sketches are to be believed. It is possible if not probable that these sketches include an element of artistic license.

The Wied Filep dolmens are other Bronze Age remains found in Mosta, and they are located at the edge of the great fault with good views of the plains below leading to the sea. A number of other similar remains are present in this plain such as the Tal-Qadi temple, the dolmen within the Dolmen Hotel gardens as well as other dolmens at Ta' Ħammut, all of which would have been visible from Wied Filep. 

The area around Fort Mosta also includes a series of cart-ruts, which are also present in the area known as Tal-Wej in the vicinity. The Ta' Bistra complex merits a visit since it includes 57 tombs from the Roman and Byzantine period which were originally discovered by Captain Charles Zammit, son of Sir Themistocles Zammit. The complex is quite mutilated mainly owing to the past practise of making use of such sites for excavation works. It is said that stone from this site was used to construct the Rotunda, a rather plausible theory although stone was necessarily also brought from elsewhere for this large church.

Chapels

The chapel of St. Margaret of Antioch was constructed in 1592 and also included a plague cemetery. Originally it was constructed away from the inhabited areas while serving the areas of Mosta, Naxxar and Għargħur while being sufficiently out of the way from all three localities at the time. 

According to legend, the cave beneath this chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Hope chapel or Tal-Isperanza as it is known,  was used as a hiding space by a young goat herd who could not keep up with her siblings when running away from a Turkish raid. The girl saw the cave opening which she entered and while crouching fearfully fervently prayed to Our Lady to save her. She immediately saw a spider spring into action such that in a very short while, the cave entrance was covered with its weaved web, leading the corsairs to assume that the girl could not be hiding in the cave as the web was intact. The chapel was built in thanks to Our Lady for delivering the girl from the Turks in 1760 and was completed in eleven months. 

The chapel dedicated to Pope St. Silvester was built by the knight Silvester Fiteni following his induction in to the Order of the Knights of St. John after his marriage was annulled. This chapel has a plaque commemorating this and although it was originally constructed on fallow land, it is now in the middle of one of the busier roads around Mosta. 

The chapel dedicated to the Visitation or known as Ta' Wejda was built in 1605 by Damiano Bonnici nicknamed Wejda. The chapel replaced an older one which may have been rock-cut. The chapel is currently unused.

The chapel dedicated to St. Paul the Hermit is probably the most picturesque one constructed in a cave in the side of Wied il-Għasel. The legend goes that a pious hermit lived in this cave who regularly admonished the people who lived in the vicinity for their wicked way of life. When the people took no notice of him, the hermit left the valley and walked to the shore followed and jeered by the rabble. On reaching the shore, he spread his cloak on the water, stepped on it and was carried to Gozo! The chapel was built by the repentant populace in order to commemorate the hermit who lived in this cave. A small source of running water which is collected in a rock-cut basin formed within a smaller cave at the back of on the right side of the chapel is supposedly miraculous. In the past, the faithful would dip into it with great devotion, while the pious Grand Master Pinto would send his servants to get water from this source for his use. The chapel has had a varied history from its humble origins consisting only of an altar and titular painting in a cave to regular visits by a Grand Master. The chapel was for a time abandoned and even deconsecrated for a period.

Ta' Durumblat chapel is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and was originally constructed in 1658. This chapel was demolished in the Second World War through enemy aerial action and the stones from the church were used to construct pens for the protection of aircraft in the nearby Ta’ Qali airfield. The chapel was later reconstructed through War Damage funds and it was blessed in 1955.

In the church dedicated to St. Anthony the Abbot which is located in Triq Sant’ Anton Abbati, blessing of pets and other animals takes place annually on the day dedicated to the patron saint. The chapel was constructed before 1575 however it was redesigned in 1657.

The chapel dedicated to St. Leonard the Abbot was constructed in 1571, however it was reconstructed in 1659. Further embellishments were carried out to the current chapel in 1907 when the interior was renovated and a bell cot, a pulpit and other embellishments were added.

The chapel dedicated to the Assumption known as Taż-Żejfi was built in 1607 by Dr. Giovanni Maria Camenzuli known as "Iz-Zejfi". According to Kappelli Maltin, the chapel likely has significantly older origins, however nothing is know prior to 1607 when the decree for its reconstruction was issued.

The chapel dedicated to San Pawl tal-Qlejgħa is a picturesque one which still mostly retains its rural origins. The current chapel was reconstructed in 1960 and in addition to its Baroque splendor, includes numerous graffiti, mainly of a naval theme, but others or religious significance and even birds and a bale of hay. A feast used to be celebrated on 25th January every year, the date of the conversion of St. Paul.

The chapel dedicated to Sant’ Andrija was originally on the outskirts of Mosta and in fact originally formed part of the Naxxar parish and was know as Sant' Andrija tal-Qares. The current chapel was reconstructed in 1657 as per the date inscribed above the door, however a previous one was already extant in 1575. The chapel suffered significant structural damages resulting from the nearby development, however it was restored between 2000 and 2002.

Buildings of note

Torri Cumbo is a landmark building consisting of a residence and a tower which is located at the corner of Triq it-Torri Cumbo and Triq Durumblat. It is constructed on two floors and is located within fairly extensive grounds. There is a niche on the main façade at roof parapet level and a relief of Our Lady with the infant Jesus at the junction of Triq it-Torri with Triq Durumblat. A large arched stylised arzella entrance leads to the gardens of the property. The property is reputed to be the same one owned by a certain Ġulju Cumbo who was the son of a well known criminal lawyer in late medieval times and also a juror at the Università of Mdina. Torri Cumbo was the place from where the Mosta Bride or L-Għarusa tal-Mosta (the ballad and local legend) was abducted in 1526 together with a number of guests. While there is no actual historical proof of this abduction, it is documented that about 400 people were abducted from Mosta in 1526. The current building is not the original one built in 1526, however it is very likely that the site is the same.

Palazzo Kaspru was built as an early country villa which was seemingly constructed in defiance of the Moorish attacks on the Islands, which up till 7 years prior to its construction were regularly carried out. Nowadays the property has been hemmed in by development, however it was described by E. B. Valla as being located at the junction of three streets (which it still is) forming an open space (which has been mostly lost). The villa proper is constructed on two floors with a running balcony around the yard from where a view of the surroundings would have been visible and according to E. B. Vella, the amazing view from the balcony was an unexpected one. 

Casa Grognet was Giorgio Grognet de Vassé’s official residence when the Rotunda was being constructed, although he spent a significant portion of his time in Valletta. The villa includes a large garden which has an elevated passage which served as a belvedere from where Grognet could keep an eye upon the construction of the church without necessarily being on site. The villa is a rather ornate building externally, with hard stone bollards linked by a chain and decorative lions on the roof parapet, giving the impression that Grognet was quite well off before being reduced to poverty by dedicating most of his working time to the construction of the church oftentimes without payment.

Villa Gollcher which is located at the junction of Triq it-Tabib Chetcuti and Triq Salvu Dimech is a rather elegant 18th century villa with few defining external features. The garden which is hidden by the long and high garden walls on either side of the villa is an extensive one which includes various features. The garden entrance from Triq it-Tabib Chetcuti gives a hint of the opulence of the garden through the use of the giant order pilasters topped by urn-like finials. The gardens themselves are a delight to behold, with myriad trees of different types interspersed by paths, fountains and even a triumphal arch-like monument in the approximate centre of the garden. The villa also includes a belvedere at its back, which shows off the garden to its best from the lofty heights of this structure. The villa originally belonged to the ancestors of Olaf Gollcher, the artist, scholar and philanthropist who bequeathed his extensive collection to be converted into a museum, today called Palazzo Falson.

Villa Grech Mifsud is another building of note in Mosta, having extensive and well designed formal gardens but also including detailed architecture and decorations on the main façade of the building itself. The villa is close to Rotunda Square and is bound by Triq il-Kbira at the front and an alley on either side; one called Sqaq Grech Mifsud and an unnamed one pertaining to the same property. The early 19th century building includes sculpted mouldings around the first floor apertures, highly detailed corbels beneath the balcony bases and ornate wrought iron work for the open balcony. The building is constructed on a hard stone podium, which was used as mitigation against rising damp prior to the introduction of tar based damp proofing. Apart from the decorations on the main façade, the garden is accessible from a columned portico in Triq Grognet which is surrounded by rough finished ashlar masonry (fuq il-ġidra), all of which is crowned by a decorative parapet. The extensive gardens are composed of a number of formal pathways separating it into different sections consisting of “tamed nature” and “wilderness” which was typical of Baroque gardens in Italy and France which were in fashion a few years prior to the construction of this villa. A number of fountains and garden features are also present. A castle-like folly with crenellations is also constructed at the far end of the garden, probably serving as a belvedere, similar to that of Villa Gollcher, from where the baroque gardens could be better appreciated. This garden was used as the location for a formal group photograph of the dignitaries present during the Eucharistic Congress of 1913.

Windmills

There are four windmills in Mosta, although at the time they were built there were five. The fith one is nowadays in the precincts of Naxxar at the junction of Triq il-Mosta with Triq l-Abbate Savoia. The other three windmills are:

Il-Mitħna l-Qadima which was rented out to Ċikku Fenech is the oldest of the windmills in Mosta. It is also know as Ta’ Mlit and it was originally constructed together with nine others during the tenure of Grandmaster Gregorio Caraffa between 1680 and 1690. The windmill was reconstructed in 1756 which E. B. Vella gives as the date of the windmill, which is indeed the date of the current building. Interestingly, this windmill kept functioning well after the other windmills in Mosta stopped and also for a while after the introduction of steam mills. However it stopped completely in 1925, when a strong storm in 1928 demolished the sail supports.

Il-Mitħna l-Ġdida is located in the same street as the windmill mentioned above. It is located at the junction of Triq il-Mitħna l-Qadima with Vjal l-Indipendenza, and it is currently used as a dwelling. This windmill was constructed in 1858 and was in use as a windmill until around 1915.

Another windmill known as Il-Mithna ta’ Triq San Silvestru also exists in the vicinity of the other two although it is not immediately recognisable as a windmill since the usual round tower is mostly missing and can only be seen from above. This windmill is located at the junctions of Triq San Silvestru with Triq it-Torri and is also visible in old photographs of the area. Not much is known about this windmill and possibly it could have been an early casualty of the competition between various millers since there were three windmills in close proximity to each other.

Il-Mithna tal-Madonna tal-Karmnu is the fourth windmill in the locality and is located in Triq il-Kungress Ewkaristiku or as it is colloquially still known, It-Triq il-Ġdida. This windmill and the other existing buildings were used in order to align the street with the parish church. The building is not immediately recognisable as a windmill as it is partly used as a dwelling and partly as commercial establishments. However the high square base which is very typical of these structures is still very evident and old photos show the windmill with very few buildings in the rest of the street. The tower was hit during the war and was demolished completely in 1958 since it had become dangerous. The niche giving the windmill its nickname is still in place on a splay at one of the building’s corners however the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been relocated to the parvis of the chapel dedicated to St. Anthony the Abbot.

The Mosta Primary school in Triq Grognet, or rather schools, were constructed to the designs of Giorgo Grognet de Vassé, the same architect of the church, in whose honour the street where the school is located is named. The buildings were completed in 1898 as evidenced by the date boldly embossed between the two entrances, one for girls and the other for boys as was the norm at the time. The school may look old and feel claustrophobic and shabby compared to the schools being built today, however one should remember that this imposing building represented a breakthrough for the general public when it was built in the late 19th century since, at that time, public schooling for everyone was still in its inception. Indeed, the Mosta schools were amongst the first in Malta to be specifically constructed for the purpose. Originally the school was attended by less than half of the children of school age as school attendance was not yet compulsory, and with Mosta being a rural village, the children were required for tilling the fields and other work related to agriculture and schooling was considered a waste of time.

 

The Ġonna tal-Kmand were a series of gardens which were commissioned by Sir Alexander Ball in 1805 and were one of the measures aimed at forestalling the problems the French faced during their administration of the Maltese Islands. These gardens were one of the perks given to the Luogotenente di Casale who was a sort of mediator between the local population and the British administration while serving as magistrate, major and other administrative roles in the locality. The Ġnien tal-Kmand in Mosta is located at the junctions of Triq il-Kbira and Triq Ġanni Chetcuti, who incidentally was one of the Luogotenenti. This building is rather plain and utilitarian particularly when compared with other examples in other gardens around Malta. Its only decoration is a polychrome statue of Our Lady in a niche at first floor level, which is contemporary to the building and one of the oldest niches in Mosta. Inside, the building consists solely of a few rooms which are roofed by means of timber beams and stone slabs. Although the building survives practically intact, the garden has been somewhat mutilated through development of agricultural stores, a garages and other haphazard additions. Interestingly, the back façade of the building includes a sparrow loft (barumbara tal-Għasafar tal-Bejt), which feature is only extant in another of the surviving eleven gardens around Malta.

Within the confines of Mosta, one can find a few interesting Modernist buildings, mainly residential. This style of building is not appreciated enough mainly in view that most of these buildings were constructed within living memory. Nonetheless, such buildings were the brainchild of the architects who built them attempting to break away from the style of their forefathers by using new materials such as reinforced concrete instead of stone. Concrete allowed large spans and projections that previously were inconceivable with just stone. Locally, Mount St. Joseph is one of the finer examples of such architecture. The building was completed in 1961 and includes extensive grounds which can be used for meditation within the confines of the complex. The building includes art by Emvin Cremona and the interior design and furniture is in keeping with the exterior style. The construction makes use of a mixture of local limestone and concrete, and consists of a pair of symmetrical elongated wings with the apex of the ‘V’ shape pointing almost due south while the inverse overlooks the Victoria Lines and faces St. Paul’s Bay.

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