to

1
Welcome
to
Floriana
2

• Portes Des Bombes
• This was once the principal entrance to Floriana
  and was built together with the other
  fortifications in the year 1721 by Grand Master
  Perellos, whose coat of arms has been placed at
  the top of this gate. The entrance has seen
  several modifications, particularly as a result
  of the gradual increase in traffic into Floriana
  and Valletta over the years.

3

• The Lion Fountain
• Before coming to St. Anne's Street, which passes
  right through the centre of Floriana, lies a
  fountain with the statue of a lion. This was
  built by Grand Master Vilhena around 1728 and its
  majestic position guards the entry into Floriana.

4

• St. Annes Street
• Certainly the most famous street in Floriana, it
  has undergone various changes over the years.
  After the war it was reconstructed and widened to
  cater for the ever increasing volumes of traffic.
  The street is characterised by the 'logog',
  arches on the sides which act as a meeting place
  for many due to the number of shops, bars and
  clubs they house.

5

• Vilhena Monument
• This bronze monument depicts Grand Master
  Antoine Manoel de Vilhena, who gave his name to
  the town (Borgo Vilhena). It's location has
  changed for quite a few times until it was placed
  in this location. Restoration was carried out on
  this monument a few years ago.

6

• The Granaries (Il-Fosos)
• When in Floriana, one cannot miss the extent of
  the granaries in the centre of the town. These
  granaries, commissioned by Richard More
  O'Farrell, Governor of Malta between 1847-1851,
  spread over much of Floriana in olden times and
  were used primarily to store grain. Today the
  main concentration of these granaries is in front
  of St. Publius' Church.

7

• St. Publius Church
• The Floriana parish church is dedicated to St.
  Publius and is situated in the centre of the
  town, overlooking the granaries. Work on the
  current church started in 1733 and the church was
  extended through the years as the population
  grew. The church was consacrated in 1792 and it
  was given the status of a parish in 1844. The
  church houses a painting started by Favray and
  continued by his student Fillippo Vincenzo Pace,
  depicting the martyrdom of St. Publius. Also of
  interest, are the titular statue of St. Publius
  dating back to 1811 and various ceiling paintings
  depicting instances from the shipwreck of St.
  Paul and his stay on the island.

8

• The Mall Gardens
• The Mall, a garden of around 400 metres in
  length was constructed by Grand Master Lascaris
  in 1656 as a place for recreation for the
  Knights, where these used to play a ball game
  called Maglio. The garden used to be totally
  enclosed by a wall, which was removed after the
  war as it was also extensively damaged. Here one
  can find a number of monuments commemorating
  prominent personalities in the Islands' political
  and social history.

9

• Independence Monument
• This bronze statue commemorates the Independence
  of Malta from the British Empire, which took
  place on the 21st September, 1964. It is found in
  front of the entrance of the Mall gardens. This
  monument was erected in 1989.

10

• Christ the King Monument
• This area is known as 'Biskuttin' where one
  finds a monument by renowned Maltese artist
  Antonio Sciortino depicting Christ the King,
  erected to commemorate the International
  Eucharistic Congress of 1913.

11

• Wignacourt Fountain
• At one end of the Mall lies the Wignacourt
  fountain, erected to commemorate the arrival of
  the water supply to Floriana in 1615. Nowadays it
  provides a fresh drink to horses on their way to
  Valletta with their karrozzin, the traditional
  Maltese horse-drawn carriage.

12

• Argotti Botanical Gardens
• Next to Wignacourt's fountain are the Argotti
  Gardens. In 1774, a palace was built on the site
  of the garden, which today houses a herbarium,
  and now serves as an important botanical garden
  for the University of Malta. Other parts of this
  garden contain medicinal plants, fruit trees and
  various other plants.

13

• St. Philips Garden
• Just below Argotti gardens, one finds this
  quiet, peaceful and charming garden which offers
  a break from the urban life of Floriana. It is
  located on top of the bastions, thus offering a
  splendid view of the surrounding cities.

14

• The Methodist Church
• Next to Argotti gardens is a Methodist church
  built in Neo-Gothic style which was completed in
  1883. Today this building houses cultural events.
  This church lies next to a building which was
  erected in 1908-1909 as a place for recreation
  for the British services. This building has today
  been converted to an old people's home and is
  also known as the 'Connaught Home', named after
  H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught who laid the first
  stone.

15

• Sarria Church
• Just opposite the Argotti gardens is a church
  dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. This
  chapes replaced a previous one built in 1585 by
  the Knight Fra Martin de Sarria Navarro, and
  houses important paintings by Mattia Preti. The
  church was rebuilt by Architect Lorenzo Gafa'.

16

• The Archbishops Curia
• Another majestic building in Floriana is that
  which houses the Archbishop's Curia. Completed in
  1751, it has also served as Malta' first
  seminary.