Birkirkara, Malta

Birkirkara is a city of 21,775 inhabitants in central Malta. It is the largest town on the island and consists of four autonomous parishes: St Helen, St Joseph, Our Lady of the Carmel and St Mary. It also houses one of the most famous colleges in Malta, St Aloysius' College. Birkirkara is the home town of President Edward Fenech Adami and Opposition Leader Alfred Sant and also the first president of Malta Anthony Mamo. It is the birthplace of Malta's leading singer songwriter Walter Micallef.

The city's motto is "In hoc signo vinces", and its coat of arms is a plain red cross with a crown on the top.

There are many places of interest in Birkirkara, among which are the Old Railway Station, which today is a public garden. Trains were used as means of transportation until 1931. Other attractions include the aqueducts near Mriehel, and St Helen's basilica, one of the most beautiful churches on the Maltese islands, which also houses Malta's biggest bell. Birkirkara is one of the oldest towns in Malta. It was already featured in the 1436 Ecclestiastical Report which established parishes in Malta and Gozo. Birkirkara emerged as the largest parish. Indeed, quite a lot of parishes emerged from Birkirkara over the years. These include Sliema, St. Julian's, Msida, and Hamrun in the 19th century and Santa Venera in the early 20th century. In more recent years, there was San Gwann (1965) and the hamlet of Ta' l-Ibraġ was hived off from Birkirkara to form part of the new parish and locality of Swieqi back in 1993. For more information about the history of Birkirkara please visit the Historical Society website.

It has been the most populous town in Malta for the last fifteen years. The main religious feast is that of St Helen which is celebrated on 18 August if it falls on a Sunday, or on the first Sunday after that date. The main event of the celebration is a procession with a larger than life wooden statue carved by the Maltese sculptor Salvu Psaila. This is the only procession that is celebrated in the morning. The procession leaves the basilica at exactly 08:00, and returns at 10:45. The statue is carried shoulder-high through the main streets of the city.

Birkirkara has grown into an important commercial centre yet it has not lost its charm as a residential hub. Birkirkara is also known for its football club, Birkirkara F.C., which has been around since 1950. Despite having a crop of brilliant players over the past few years, the team had found it hard to win the league, arguably because of the rise, first of Valletta, and nowadays of Sliema. Despite the difficulties, the football team managed to win the 2005/2006 championship, its second honour so far.

Matthew Borg is a notable resident of Birkirkara, and has both male and female genitalia.

Schools

Primary
Little Angels School

Secondary
St Aloysius' College Boys' Church Secondary School
Santa Tereża Girls' Junior Lyceum (Mrieħel)

Post-Secondary
St Aloysius' College Sixth Form

Band Clubs

St. Helen's Band Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali Sant' Elena)
St. Helen Club - Duke of Connaught's Own Band (Każin Santa Liena - Banda Duka ta' Connaught's Own)

Zones in Birkirkara

• Fleur-de-Lys
• Mrieħel Industrial Estate
• Ta' Fuq Wied (Above the Vallies' Village)
• Ta' Paris (Paris' Village)
• Tal-Brieqex

Birkirkara Main Roads

1. Dawret Birkirkara (Birkirkara By-Pass)
2. Triq A.Valletta (A.Valletta Street)
3. Triq Fleur-de-Lys (Fleur-de-Lys Road)
4. Triq F.M. Galea (F.M. Galea Street)
5. Triq G.Papaffy (G.Papaffy Street)
6. Triq il-Wied (Valley Road)
7. Triq il-Wied ta' l-Imsida (Msida Valley Road)
8. Triq in-Naxxar (Naxxar Road)
9. Triq l-Imdina (Mdina Road)
10. Triq l-Imsida (Msida Road)
11. Triq Mannerino (Mannerino Street)
12. Triq P.Borg Olivier (P.Borg Olivier Street)
13. Triq Salvu Psaila (Psaila Road)
14. Triq Santa Marija (St Mary Street)
15. Triq Ta' Paris (Ta' Paris Road)
16. Triq Tal-Qattus (Tal-Qattus Road)
17. Triq Tas-Swatar (Swatar Road)
18. Triq Tumas Fenech (Thomas Fenech Street)
19. Triq Wignacourt (Wignacourt Street)
20. Birkirkara Streets that show the Roman Catholic Religion Faith
21. Misraħ San Alwiġi (St. Aloysius Square)
22. Misraħ San Franġisk (St. Frances Square)
23. Misraħ Sant' Elena (St. Helen Square)
24. Pont San Massimiljanu Kolbe (St. Massiminius Kolbe Bridge)
25. Sqaq il-Vitorja (Our Lady of Victory Alley)
26. Sqaq San Ġiljan (St. Julian Alley)
27. Sqaq San Pawl (St. Paul Alley)
28. Sqaq Santu Rokku (St. Rocco Alley)
29. Triq id-Dar tal-Kleru (Clergy's Home Street)
30. Triq il-Karmnu (Our Lady of Monte Carmel Street)
31. Triq il-Madonna ta' Pompej (Our Lady of Pompyee Street)
32. Triq il-Knisja l-Qadima (Old Church Street)
33. Triq il-Papa Ġwanni XXIII (Pope John XXIII Street)
34. Triq il-Papa Ġwanni Pawlu I (Pope John Paul I Street)
35. Triq il-Papa Piju XII (Pope Pius XII Street)
36. Triq il-Papa Urbanu VIII (Pope Urbanus VIII Street)
37. Triq il-Qalb Imqaddsa (Sacred Heart Street)
38. Triq il-Vitorja (Our Lady of Victory Street)
39. Triq is-Salib Imqaddes (Holy Cross Street)
40. Triq is-Santwarju (Sanctuary Street)
41. Triq l-Isqof Baldassare Cagliares (Bishop Baldassare Cagliares Street)
42. Triq l-Isqof Labini (Bishop Labini Street)
43. Triq San Ġiljan (St. Julian Street)
44. Triq San Ġużepp (St. Joseph Street)
45. Triq San Ġwakkin (St. Guachin Street)
46. Triq San Kostantinu (St. Costantine Street)
47. Triq San Lawrenz (St. Lawrence Street)
48. Triq San Pawl (St. Paul Street)
49. Triq San Vinċenz (St. Vincent Street)
50. Triq Sant' Antnin (St. Anthony Street)
51. Triq Sant' Elena (St. Helen Street)
52. Triq Sant' Elija (St. Elias Street)
53. Triq Santa Marija (St. Mary Street)
54. Triq Santa Rita (St. Rita Street)
55. Triq Santa Tereża (St. Theresa Street)
56. Triq Santu Rokku (St. Rocco Street)
57. Triq Tal-Ħerba (Our Lady of Desolation Street)
58. Żona Tas-Salib (Cross Area)
59. Interesting Places at B'Kara
60. Birkirkara F.C. Ground (at Bontardini Street)
61. Birkirkara Mill (at Ganu Street)
62. Dar tal-Kleru (at Grima Street)
63. Old Birkirkara Church (at Old Church Street)
64. Old Station Garden (at Collegiata Street)
65. Our Lady of Monte Carmel Church (at Notabile Road, Fleur-de-Lys)
66. Our Lady of Victory Chapel (at Victory Street)
67. St. Aloysius College (at College Street)
68. St. Francis Church (at Sqaq Ibghal)
69. St. Helen Church (at St. Helen Square)
70. St. Joseph Church (at Valley Road)
71. St. Paul Church (at Valley Road)
72. Tal-Herba Church (at Tal-Herba Street)

Rabat, Malta

Rabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The population of Rabat is 11,462. 

The Local Council of Rabat is also the administrator of Bahrija.

Catacombs
Rabat is home to the famous Catacombs of St. Paul and of St. Agatha. These catacombs were used in Roman times to bury the dead as, according to Roman culture, it was unclean to bury the dead in the city. They are now looked after by Heritage Malta. There are the catacombs of saint Paul were St Paul stayed for 3 months in the year 60 A.D. He became a Christian.

Zones in Rabat

1. Annunzjata (Tal-Lunzjata)
2. Baħrija
3. Bieb ir-Ruwa
4. Chadwick Lakes
5. Fiddien
6. Fomm ir-Riħ Bay
7. Ġnien il-Kbir
8. Ġnien iż-Żgħir
9. Għajn Klieb
10. Għajn Qajjet
11. Għar Barka
12. Għeriexem
13. Ħal-Bajjada
14. Id-Dahar
15. Il-Qattara
16. Il-Qlejgħa
17. Il-Mejda
18. Il-Misraħ
19. Is-Salvatur
20. Is-Swatar
21. Iż-Żinżla
22. Kunċizzjoni
23. L-Andrijiet
24. Migra Ferħa
25. Misraħ Suffara
26. Mtaħleb
27. Nigret
28. Nigret tal-Ħarruba
29. Ras ir-Raħeb
30. Rdum tal-Lunzjata
31. Rdum tal-Vigarju
32. Sant' Agata
33. Santa Katarina
34. Saqqajja
35. Ta' Busugrilla
36. Ta' Cassia
37. Ta' Fantin
38. Ta' Gerżuma
39. Ta' Lawrenti
40. Ta' Manduca
41. Ta' Namura
42. Ta' Sirena
43. Ta' l-Infetti
44. Tabja
45. Tal-Forok
46. Tal-Marġa
47. Tal-Virtù
48. Tat-Torri
49. Tax-Xieref
50. Wied Gerżuma
51. Wied il-Baħrija
52. Wied il-Bużbież
53. Wied il-Fiddien
54. Wied iż-Żebbuġ
55. Wied Liemu
56. Wied Rini
57. Wied ta' l-Isqof
58. Wied tal-Marġa
59. Xagħra ta' l-Isqof

Band Clubs

1. L'Isle Adam Band Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali L'Isle Adam)
2. St. Paul Club Conte Roger Band (Każin San Pawl Banda Konti Ruġġieru)

Rabat (Malta) Main Roads

1. Misraħ il-Parroċċa (Parish Square)
2. Pjazza Saqqajja (Saqqajja Square)
3. Telgħa tas-Saqqajja (Saqqajja Hill)
4. Triq Ġorġ Borg Olivier (George Borg Olivier Road)
5. Triq Għajn Qajjet (Għajn Qajjet Road
6. Triq Għeriexem (Gheriexem Street)
7. Triq Ħad-Dingli (Dingli Road)
8. Triq Ħal-Tartarni (Hal Tartarni Road)
9. Triq il-Buskett (Buskett Road)
10. Triq il-Kbira (Main Street)
11. Triq il-Kulleġġ (College Street)
12. Triq il-Mużew (Museum Street)
13. Triq it-Tiġrija (Tigrija Street)
14. Triq l-Imtarfa (Mtarfa Road)
15. Triq Nani
16. Triq Nikol Saura (Nicholas Saura Road)
17. Triq Santa Rita (St Rita Street)
18. Triq ta' l-Infetti (Nfetti Road)
19. Triq tat-Tabja (Tabja Road)
20. Vjal il-Ħaddiema (Labourers Avenue)
21. Wesgħa tal-Mużew (Museum Square)

List of Maltese people

Actors

1. Joseph Calleia (1897 - 1975)
2. Charles Thake (born 1927) - Recipient of the Midalja gћal qadi tar-Republika
3. Angelo Muscat (1930 - 1977)
4. Melissa Tkautz (born 1974)
5. Kym Valentine (born 1977)

Composers

1. Giuseppe Abos (1708-1776)
2. Girolamo Abos (1715-1760)
3. Nicholo' Isouard (1775-1818)
4. Carmelo Pace (1906-1993) - composer, professor of musical theory and harmonics
5. Charles Camilleri (born 1931)
6. Robert Cremona (born 1956) - philosopher, musician, composer, poet, writer, lecturer
7. F. V. Sciriha

Film Makers

1. Anthony Azzopardi (1947-2001) - documentary filmmaker
2. Mario Azzopardi (born 1950) - director
3. Jon Cassar (born 1958) - film director and producer

Musicians and Singers

1. Walter Micallef (born 1955) singer-songwriter
2. Joseph Calleja (born 1978) - tenor
3. Natalie Gauci (born 1981) - singer

Painters and Sculptors

1. Giuseppe Calì (1846-1930) - painter
2. Antonio Sciortino (1879-1947) - sculptor

Poets

1. Dun Karm Psaila (1871 - 1961) - National Poet of Malta
2. Ruzar Briffa (1906-1963) - poet
3. Ray Buttigieg (born 1955) - poet, composer, producer

Politicians

1. Gerald Strickland (1861-1940) - Prime Minister of Malta (1927-32), Governor of Tasmania, Western Australia and New South Wales.
2. Enrico Mizzi (1885-1950) - Prime Minister (1950)
3. Francesco Buhagiar (1876-1934) - Prime Minister (1923-24)
4. Paul Boffa (1890-1962) - Prime Minister (1947-50)
5. George Borg Olivier (1911-1980) - Prime Minister (1950-55, 1962-71)
6. Dom Mintoff (born 1916) - Prime Minister (1955-58, 1971-84)
7. Agatha Barbara (1923-2002) - politician, Government Minister and President of the Republic (1982-87)
8. Guido de Marco (born 1931) - President (1999-2004)
9. Eddie Fenech Adami (born 1934) - Prime Minister (1987-96, 1998-2004), President (2004-)
10. Norman Lowell (born 1946) - Founder and leader of Imperium Europa.
11. Alfred Sant (born 1948) - Prime Minister (1996-98)
12. Joe Borg (born 1952) - politician and European commissioner
13. Lawrence Gonzi (born 1953) - Prime Minister (2004-)
14. Harry Vassallo (born 1956) - Leader of the Green Party (Alternattiva Demokratika)
15. Joseph Cefai - politician, Gozitan politician, administrator and civil servant in Malta (1921- 1996)
16. Censu Tabone - politician, Government Minister and President of the Republic (1989-1994)

Religious People

1. Dun Mikiel Xerri -(1737 - 1799) 'National Hero' of Malta
2. Joseph De Piro (1877-1933) - Founder of the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSSP)
3. St.George Preca (1880-1962) - Canonised Saint of the Roman Catholic Church, Founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine
4. Fr Donat Spiteri OFMCap - (born 1922) - Biblical scholar

Scholars and Academics

1. Mikiel Anton Vassalli -(1764 - 1829) - Father of the Maltese language
2. Arvid Pardo (1914-1999) - diplomat
3. Edward De Bono (born 1933) - creator of lateral thinking
4. Gorg Mallia (born 1957) - communications academic, author and cartoonist
5. Henry Frendo - historian

Sportspeople

1. Jeff Fenech (born 1964) - former World Champion boxer
2. Tony Drago (born 1965) - snooker player
3. David Millar(born 1977)UCI ProTour Cyclist
4. Kevin Muscat - football player (Melbourne Victory Captain)
5. Gilbert Agius - football player
6. Carmel Busuttil - football player
7. Michael Mifsud - football player
8. Etienne Barbara - football player
9. Mikel Scicluna - Member of the WWE Hall of Fame pro wrestling
10. Luke Dimech - football player

Others

1. Alfred Pisani (born 1939) - Businessmen
2. Joe Sacco (born 1960) - Cartoonist
3. Immanuel Mifsud (born 1967) - Author
4. Suzanne Mizzi (born 1967) - Glamor Model
5. Massimo Ellul (born 1970) - Entrepreneur
6. Peppi Azzopardi - Popular TV Presenter
7. Clint Bajada - TV & Radio Presenter & Producer

Malta climate

The climate is Mediterranean, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. There is no real thermal dormant season for plants, although plant growth can be checked briefly by abnormal cold in winter (patches of ground frost may occur in inland locales), and summer heat and aridity may cause vegetation to wilt. Effectively there are only two seasons, which makes the islands attractive for tourists especially during the drier months. However, strong winds can make Malta feel cold during the spring months.

Water supply poses a problem on Malta, as the summer is both rainless and also the time of greatest water use, and the winter rainfall often falls as heavy showers and runs off to the sea rather than soaking into the ground. Malta depends on underground reserves of fresh water, drawn through a system of water tunnels called the Ta' Kandja galleries, which average about 97 m. below surface and extend like the spokes of a wheel. In the galleries in Malta's porous limestone, fresh water lies in a lens upon brine. More than half the potable water of Malta is produced by desalination, which creates further issues of fossil fuel use and pollution.

In January 2007, International Living chose Malta as the country with the best climate in the world.

Lowest temperature ever recorded was in January 1905, at +1.1C, and the highest temperature was +43.8C recorded in August 1999. Snow is virtually unheard of, with very few and brief snowflurries recorded in February 1895, January 1905 and March 1949.

List of Valletta main sights

Churches

• Our Lady of Victories Church
• St. John's Co-Cathedral
• Carmelite Church
• St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral
• Our Lady of Pilar Church
• Our Lady of Liesse Church
• St. James Church
• St. Francis of Assisi Church
• St. Barbara Church
• St. Catherine d'Italy Church
• Parish Church of St. Augustine
• Christ the Redeemer Church
• Church of the Jesuits
• Collegiate Parish Church of St. Paul's Shipwreck
• St. Lucy Church
• St. Roch Church
• St. Nicholas Church (Known as Church of All Souls)
• Parish Church of Saint Mary of Porto Salvo and Saint Dominic (first basilque in Malta according to the Bolla Pont by Pope Pius V)
• St. Catherine of Alexandria Church
• Franciscan Church of St. Mary of Jesus (Ta' Ġieżu)
• St. Andrew's Scots Church (Presbyterian and Methodist)

Palaces

• Grandmaster's Palace - houses the Parliament of Malta
• Auberge de Castille - houses the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta
• Auberge d'Aragon - houses the Ministry of Finance
• Auberge d'Italie - houses the Malta Tourism Authority
• Auberge de Provence - houses the National Museum of Archaeology
• Auberge de Bavière - houses Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs
• Casa Rocca Grande- houses the German-Maltese Circle
• Casa Rocca Piccola - private residence open to the public
• Palazzo Francia - houses a number of offices and shops
• Palazzo Parisio - houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Palazzo Castellania - houses the Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care

Museums

• St John's Co-Cathedral Museum
• Grandmaster's Palace Armoury Museum
• Malta War Museum - Housed at Fort Saint Elmo
• National Museums of Archaeology - Housed at Auberge De Provence.
• National Museum of Fine Arts
• Manoel Theatre Museum
• Toy Museum
• Domus Pauli - An extension of the Chapter Hall of the Collegiate Church of St. Paul’s Shiprwreck Valletta

Piazzas

• St John's Square (Misraħ San Ġwann)
• St George's Square (Misraħ San Ġorġ)
• Queen's Square (Pjazza Reġina)
• Great Siege Square (Misraħ l-Assedju l-Kbir)
• Freedom Square (Misraħ il-Ħelsien)
• Castile Square (Misraħ Kastilja)
• Independence Square (Pjazza Indipendenza)
• National Museum of Fine Arts