String Of 15 Historical Niches And Statues In Sliema To Be Restored
At least 15 niches and statues around Sliema are set to be restored as part of a new project.
Statues dedicated to St Paul, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Anthony are among some of the historical and religious works that are set to get a facelift.
The project is being carried out by the Rotary Club La Valette and the Sliema Local Council, and will see €34,000 coming from the Planning Authority’s Development Planning Fund (DPF).
Public Works Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said it was his administration’s duty to utilise public funds such as the DPF “as this helps to conserve the historical heritage in the heart of towns and villages”.
Over the years, a number of these statues were either painted over repeatedly or left exposed to the elements, leading to their deterioration.
“Niches, or niċċa in Maltese, are synonymous with the historical streetscapes of our towns and villages,” Vincent Cassar, Chairperson of the PA’s DPF, said.
“Our forefathers openly displayed their devotion to particular saints by decorating their image in a niche on the façade or corner of their homes. Although today it is much rarer to find a new development incorporating this architectural element into the building, we are duty bound to safeguard and protect the numerous statues and niches add to the character of our traditional towns and villages.”
Aside from the niches, a new statue dedicated to Sliema Wanderers footballer Tony Nicholl’s will be built in Sliema.
The youngest of 23 siblings, Tony attended Stella Maris College and started playing for the Sliema Wanderers’ senior team in 1931. With the Wanderers he won ten championships, nine FA Trophy medals, seven Cassar Cups, plus one with Valletta as a guest player, and six times the Scicluna Cup. He passed away on the March 11, 1999.
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