Floriana


Floriana, also known by its title Borgo Vilhena, is a fortified town in the Port Region area of Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta. It has a population of 2,205 as of March 2014. 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 Dun Mauro Caruana, the poets Oliver Friggieri and Maria Grech Ganado, the writer and politician Herbert Ganado and Swedish Idol winner Kevin Borg.

Etymology

Floriana is named after Pietro Paolo Floriani, an Italian military engineer who designed the Floriana Lines, the line of fortifications surrounding the town. In Maltese, the town is called Il-Floriana by the local council. However, it is popularly known as Il-Furjana, and the latter is regarded as the official name by the National Council for the Maltese Language. Government sources use both variants.
The town's original official name was Borgo Vilhena after Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, but the name fell out of use in favour of Floriana or Furjana. The name Borgo Vilhena is now used as a title, just like Valletta has the title Città Umilissima.

History

The origins of Floriana go back to 1636, when construction of the Floriana Lines commenced. The line of fortifications was built outside the fortifications of Valletta as an outer defensive line for the capital city. The lines were named after Pietro Paolo Floriani, the Italian military engineer who had designed them. The fortifications were partially defensible by 1640, but construction and modifications continued throughout the 17th and 18th century, being fully completed in the 1720s.
The area between the Floriana Lines and the Valletta Land Front began to be built up in 1724, when Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena founded the suburb Borgo Vilhena.

The New Suburb 1700-1800

The new suburb, in 1746, consisted of twenty residential blocks, which were arranged on both sides of St. Anne's Street and also of the church of St. Publius which was to the north of the residential area. By the mid-eighteenth century the suburb had un- dergone some expansion, with Montgomery House built in 1730 as a country house for the Grandmaster of the time. Also during this time, under the orders of the Grandmaster, there were two Welfare Institutions built: one was the Ospizio and the other was the Conservatorio. The Argotti gardens were also laid out and the trend of Religious buildings located in Floriana continued with the building of the Chapel of St. Calcedonius, dedicated in 1743, which became part of the new Seminary in 1751,. Four new residential blocks were also laid out around the Seminary soon after.
At this time, the Knights were still in control of Malta and it was under their supervision that Floriana developed. The new gardens and buildings made Floriana a spacious and attractive suburb and a welcome contrast to the dense buildings and population of Valletta.
In 1806, 25 soldiers who had participated in the Froberg mutiny were executed at the Floriana parade ground.

Floriana in the time of the British

The British developed Floriana as a garrison town and during the nineteenth century they built several barracks within it and took over large buildings for military use. It was during this period that the Lintorn Barracks, Casemate Barracks and St. Francis Barracks were built. In this period, that is at around 1857, a school was built and there was also the development of port facilities along the wharfs on both sides of the peninsula.
In the early twentieth century, several gardens were laid out. These were the Rundle, the Kalkara Gardens, Luigi Preziosi and King George the Fifth. The playing fields and the hospital were also built.

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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 football club in Malta of the 20th century
  • Floriana Basketball Club

    Patron saint

is one of the patron saints 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 Maltese folklore, Publius supposedly lived in Malta and at one point received the Apostle Paul after the shipwreck in 60 A.D..
Publius is considered as the first Maltese saint and thus the devotion he enjoys among locals.
Pope John Paul II spoke at St. Publius Square during his two visits to Malta, and on his second visit he held the beatification of three Maltese:
  • Saint Ġorġ Preca
  • Nazju Falzon
  • Maria Adeodata Pisani

    Main sights

  • St. Publius Parish Church
  • St. Publius Square, including the Granaries
  • The Mall Gardens
  • The Floriana Lines, including Porte des Bombes
  • Wignacourt Water Tower
  • Sarria Church
  • Robert Samut Hall
  • The Valletta Waterfront, including the Church of the Flight into Egypt
  • War Memorial
  • Malta Memorial
  • King George V Recreational Grounds
  • Argotti Botanical Gardens
  • Sir Luigi Preziosi Gardens
  • Vilhena Gardens
  • Polverista
  • St. Philip's Garden
  • Herbert Ganado Gardens
  • Jubilee Grove
  • Msida Bastion Historic Garden, near Hay Wharf, another landmark which has been restored and reportedly contains the grave of Mikiel Anton Vassalli, an 18th-century writer and reformer who is much associated with Malta's national identity.
  • Hydrofoil terminal, which is very busy during summertime with daily departures to Sicily.

    Village Core

  • Pjazza Emm. S. Tonna
  • Pjazza San Kalċidonju
  • Triq il-Konservatorju
  • Triq il-Mall
  • Triq il-Miratur
  • Triq is-Suq
  • Triq l-Argotti
  • Triq l-Iljun
  • Triq l-Isqof M. Caruana
  • Triq San Publju
  • Triq San Tumas
  • Triq Sarria
  • Trejqet il-Fosos

    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 Belt-is-Sebħ. The National Audit Office along with the Department of Contracts and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, are located in two ravelins, Notre Dame and St. Francis, respectively.
The Floriana Local Council was established in 1993 along with Malta's other local councils to administer the town. It is located at Emmanuel S. Tonna Square.

Festival

The annual Isle of MTV music festival has been held in Floriana since 2007.
Floriana is home to the Hotel Phoenicia and Hotel Excelsior, as well as other places to stay, including boutique hotels.

Maltese Carnival

Floriana is the scene of the Maltese Carnival, held in St. Anne's Street in February leading up to Lent.

Climate

Floriana features a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Floriana experiences a lack of precipitation during the summer months and heavier precipitation during the winter months. Winter temperatures are moderated by the city’s proximity to the sea. As a result, Floriana enjoys mild winters, however windy in some areas. The official climate recording station in Malta is at Luqa Airport, which is a few miles inland from Floriana. Average high temperatures range from around in January to about in August, while average low temperatures range from around in January to in August. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Csa".

Music

  • Vilhena Band Club 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.

    Floriana community services

  • St. Publius Parish Church, Triq Sarria
  • Floriana Local Council, Pjazza Emanuel S. Tonna
  • Floriana Police Station, Triq Sant' Anna
  • Floriana Malta Labour Party Club, Triq Sant' Anna
  • Floriana Partit Nazzjonalista Club, Pjazza Sant' Anna
  • Sir Paul Boffa Hospital, Sqaq Ħarper
  • Floriana Health Centre, Triq Franġisk Saver Fenech
  • Central Public Library, Triq Joseph J. Mangion