“Republic Square, Valletta”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

Originally the site was a square called Piazza dei Cavalieri,^[3] but during the British period Governor Gaspard Le Marchant enclosed the space to create a British-access only orchard.^[1] Some photos of the orchard form part of a historic photograph collection of Malta.^[2]

At one point, Le Marchant move the statue of Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena from Fort Manoel to the middle of this piazza. In 1887 this statue was moved to Floriana, and replaced by a statue of Queen Victoria in commemoration of her 50th birthday.^[3]^[4]

The northwest part of the square consists of a large building originally known as the Casa del Commun Tesoro. The building housed the accounts, contracts and records of the treasury of the Order of Saint John. The first post office in Malta was opened in the building in 1708, and part of it remained a post office until 1849.^[5] Over the years, La Casa del Comun Tesoro also housed government offices, a hotel and a cinema. The building was damaged in World War II, but it was repaired and it now houses the Casino Maltese. Some parts of the ground floor are occupied by cafés and shops.^[6]

The southeast side of the square, facing the Casa del Commun Tesoro, is the National Library of Malta, commonly known as the Bibliotheca. The building was commissioned when larger premises were required for the Order's library. It was designed by the Polish Italian architect Stefano Ittar,^[7] and was completed in 1796. Due to the French occupation of Malta, the library did not open until Malta became a British protectorate. It was officially inaugurated by Civil Commissioner Sir Hildebrand Oakes in 1812. The library has remained there ever since.^[8]^[9]

The square's northeast side is part of the Grandmaster's Palace, while the southwest side is a shopping arcade.

In 1858, a bronze statue of Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena was moved from Fort Manoel to the centre of the square.^[10] The statue of de Vilhena was later relocated to the Mall Gardens in Floriana, and it is currently in Pope John XXIII Square, also in Floriana.^[2]

A statue of Queen Victoria was erected instead of the de Vilhena statue in 1891, giving the square the name of Queen's Square or Piazza Regina. The statue was restored in 2011,^[11] and it is often a resting place for pigeons.^[12]

References

1. ^{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121118/life-features/Let-s-hide-the-majestic-bastions.445894|title=Let’s hide the majestic bastions|website=Timesofmalta.com|accessdate=22 October 2018}}
2. ^{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910171717/http://almashriq.hiof.no/ddc/projects/jafet/blatchford/html/027.html|title=The Blatchford Collection of Photographs - Jafet Library at AUB|date=10 September 2016|website=Web.archive.org|accessdate=22 October 2018}}
3. ^¹{{cite web|url=http://melitensiawth.com/incoming/Index/Il-Malti/Il-Malti.%20004(1928)2/01.pdf|title=Il-Belt (Valletta)|website=Melitensiawth.com|accessdate=22 October 2018}}
4. ^{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com.mt/books?id=OLANAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA55&dq=Castellania+palace&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJkLnh9JrOAhVJAsAKHTWbCq44ChDoAQgzMAY#v=onepage&q=Castellania+palace&f=false|title=The historical guide to the island of Malta and its dependencies|first=Giuseppe Pericciuoli|last=Borzesi|date=22 October 2018|publisher=Government Press|page=55|accessdate=22 October 2018|via=Google Books}}
5. ^{{cite news|title=Maltapost privatisation latest red-letter day in postal history|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080121/local/maltapost-privatisation-latest-red-letter-day-in-postal-history.192808|accessdate=10 April 2015|work=Times of Malta|date=21 January 2008}}
6. ^{{cite web|title=Club History|url=http://www.thecasinomaltese.com/History.htm|website=Casino Maltese|accessdate=10 April 2015}}
7. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150104/business-news/Valletta-vibrant-city-of-many-styles.550626|title=Valletta – vibrant city of many styles|website=Timesofmalta.com|accessdate=22 October 2018}}
8. ^{{cite web|title=History|url=http://education.gov.mt/en/education/malta-libraries/Pages/National%20Library/History.aspx|website=Malta Libraries|publisher=Ministry of Education|accessdate=10 April 2015}}
9. ^{{cite news|last1=Vella|first1=Charlene|title=An icon of learning and historical importance|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120624/arts-entertainment/An-icon-of-learning-and-historical-importance.425886|accessdate=10 April 2015|work=Times of Malta|date=24 June 2012}}
10. ^{{cite web|title=Monument to Grand Master de Vilhena|url=http://www.florianalocalcouncil.com/index.php/mnmap/2012-09-28-07-46-49/monument-to-grand-master-de-vilhena|website=Floriana Local Council|accessdate=10 April 2015}}
11. ^¹{{cite web|last1=Vella|first1=Leslie|title=Queen Victoria and her Maltese Lace|url=https://leslievella.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/queen-victoria-and-her-maltese-lace/|website=The Malta Photoblog|accessdate=10 April 2015|date=16 May 2013}}
12. ^{{cite news|url=https://app.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110529/books/Exploring-Valletta-s-treasures.368022|title=Exploring Valletta’s treasures|last=Farrugia|first=Peter|date=29 May 2011|work=Times of Malta|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626234749/https://app.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110529/books/Exploring-Valletta-s-treasures.368022|archive-date=26 June 2017}}
13. ^¹²Guillaumier, Alfie (2005). Bliet u Rħula Maltin. Volume 2. Klabb Kotba Maltin. p. 941. {{ISBN|99932-39-40-2}}, {{ISBN|99932-39-41-0}}.

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References