Iklin L-Iklin | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 35°54′15″N14°27′16″E / 35.90417°N 14.45444°E | |
Country | Malta |
Region | Central Region |
District | Western District |
Established | 1954 |
Area | |
• Total | 1.7 km2 (0.7 sq mi) |
Population (Jan. 2019) | |
• Total | 3,422 |
• Density | 2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Ikliniż (m), Ikliniża (f), Ikliniżi (pl) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | IKL |
Dialing code | 356 |
ISO 3166 code | MT-19 |
Patron saint | Holy Family St. Michael |
Day of festa | Sunday before 29 September (St. Michael) |
Website | Official website |
Iklin (Maltese : L-Iklin) is a village in the Central Region of Malta, with a population of 3,247 as at 2021. Iklin was established in the mid-20th century; however some archaeological sites [1] and a medieval chapel, named as St. Michael Chapel, are proof to earlier settlements. Until recently, the town was considered to form part of the Three villages of Malta, as part of Lija. With the separation of Iklin from Lija, Iklin is no longer part of the three villages. [2] It is bordered by Għargħur, San Ġwann, Birkirkara, Balzan and Naxxar.
Iklin is divided in Lower Iklin siding on the Birkirkara bypass and the Upper Iklin. In Lower Iklin houses are built side by side, in general villas and maisonettes but also recently some apartments. In Upper Iklin land is on a hill close to Naxxar and land is considered more expensive; in general the land consists of villas and farmhouses. The two sides share two common facts, the neighborhoods structural design and the general silence living areas. [3]
The name of Iklin is derived from the herb Rosmarinus officinalis, which is known as l-iklin in Maltese. [4] The valley in which the herb grew has now been built up. [5] [6] The coat of arms depicts a shield on a blue background with Saint Michael in the centre and, the six roses of L-Iklin on the borders. [7]
Modern day Iklin began to develop in the mid-20th century, but the area still has a few minor sites of archaeological importance.[ citation needed ]
A megalithic site, perhaps the remains of a temple, was discovered in 1967 by the Teenagers Din l-Art Ħelwa group from St. Aloysius' College. Unfortunately, this site has never been seriously surveyed or studied. A second megalithic site was studied in 1986 during works on the new Birkirkara By-Pass, in the area known as Tar-Raddiena. Two large megaliths, and a few smaller ones are still visible (though often ignored) on this busy road. The ruins were dated, through pottery sherds found during excavation, to the Bronze Age. The foundations of a Roman Villa were excavated in 1975 during construction works. The site has had its own historic importance, but it was destroyed soon after the excavations when the development for housing estates proceeded. [8] [9] Various references can be found related to these pre-historic sites with documents penned by Maltese archeologist, Anthony Bonanno. [10] It is widely believed that further remains are still to be found and unearthed in the surrounding areas. [11]
In the 15th century, a chapel dedicated to St. Michael was built in what is now Iklin. Pietro Dusina visited the chapel during his Apostolic Visit of 1575, and he described it as being in a poor state. The chapel was rebuilt in 1615 by Gilormu Agius. Today it is open once a year for the feast of St. Michael, which is celebrated the Sunday before 29 September by the Lija fireworks team. [12] [13]
The first purposely-built residential house in modern Iklin was Dar il-Lewża, which was built in 1954, [3] suffered severe structural impact as outlined in 2012, [14] [15] and demolished in 2018. [16] A number of villas were constructed in the 1960s and early 1970s, and development increased rapidly between the late 1970s and the 1980s. [5] Iklin has had a local council since 1994, and the town became a separate parish in 2005. A new parish church named for the Holy Family was built for this purpose. [13]
The Iklin Local Council was established by the Local Councils Act of 1993, along with the other local councils of Malta. [17] The first election was held on 19 March 1994.
The local council, elected in 2019, is made up of the following members: [18]
The Holy Family Parish Church , situated in Pjazza Ninu Cremona, serves as the main church in this small locality. [19] In the 80s, the need for a church was evident with the growing population. The first steps were taken by the then Lija parish priest to set up locations where catechism could be taught and mass celebrated. On 23 July 1993, through the donation of a benefactor, a property was converted into a church and the new Pastoral Centre was officially inaugurated. [20] It was only in 2005 that this church became an officially recognised Parish church. [21] 360 Virtual tour of the church can be seen here.
The Lija/Iklin Football Nursery is fast gaining prominence on the local sports scene. Inaugurated in 2002, this association was co-founded by Lija and Iklin as a training nursery to eventually feed the best players to the Lija Athletic Football Club. [22] The need for better training and playing facilities continues to be felt in this locality. [23]
The locality of Iklin includes the following zones:
The main roads of Iklin are:
Ninu Cremona Square
Anton Buttigieg Square
Attard is a town in the Central Region of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija it forms part of "the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. It has a population of 12,268 as of 2021. Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo due to its many flower gardens and citrus orchards. Attard is abundant in public gardens. The inhabitants of Attard are known as saraċini.
Saint Julian's is a town in the Eastern Region of Malta. As of 2020, its registered number of inhabitants stands at 13,792. It is situated along the coast, north of the country's capital, Valletta. It is known for tourism-oriented businesses, such as hotels, restaurants and nightclubs which are centred mainly in an area known as Paceville.
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Birkirkara is a city in the eastern region of Malta. It is the second most populous on the island, with 24,356 inhabitants as of 2020. The town consists of five autonomous parishes: Saint Helen, Saint Joseph the Worker, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Saint Mary and San Gorg Preca. The city's motto is In hoc signo vinces, and its coat of arms is a plain red cross, surmounted by a crown.
Balzan is a municipality in the Central Region of Malta, one of the so-called three villages, together with Attard and Lija. The village originally consisted of a group of small dwellings and farms but eventually grew, becoming a parish in the 17th century. As of 2021, the town registered a population of 4,774 inhabitants.
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Żebbuġ is a village and an administrative unit of Malta, in the northwest coast of the island of Gozo. It is located close to Għarb and Għasri and is built on two hilltop plateaus, Ta' Abram and Ix-Xagħra taż-Żebbuġ. The fishing port and tourist resort of Marsalforn lies within the Żebbuġ Council. The village has a population of 2,956, which makes it the fifth largest in Gozo, after Xewkija.
Lija is a small village in the Eastern Region of Malta. It forms part of the Three villages of Malta, along with Attard and Balzan. Lija has a baroque parish church and seven other small chapels. The parish church is dedicated to Our Saviour. Lija became a parish in 1594, after the small community detached itself from the neighbouring town, Birkirkara. It has a population of 3,162 as of 2021.
San Ġwann is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 14,244 as of 2021. Prior to its establishment as a distinct municipality, it was a fragmented community comprising parts of Birkirkara and St. Julian's. San Ġwann emerged as a new parish in 1965 and was officially recognised as a town in 1968. The Local Councils Act of 1993 identified San Gwann as a separate district with its own statutory local government authority, marking its transition from being part of the neighbouring localities. With the first San Gwann Council was elected on 16 April 1994.
Gudja is a village in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 3,148 as of March 2017. The village is located on high grounds, south of the capital Valletta. It is administered by the Gudja Local Council. A number of schools, clubs, public gardens and recreation places are found around the village.
Kirkop is a village in the Southern Region of Malta. Located near the Malta International Airport, it has been inhabited since pre-history. The parish church is dedicated to Saint Leonard. The football team of the village is the Kirkop United Football Club.
Naxxar is a town and local council in the Northern Region of Malta. The population in March 2014 was 14,891. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. It formerly hosted the Maltese International Trade Fair at Maltese International Trade Fair Grounds.
Malta is for non-local government purposes divided into districts as opposed to the local government localities. The three main types of such districts – statistical, electoral at national level, and policing – have no mainstream administrative effect as the local councils form the first-tier – moreover only administrative tier – divisions of the country.
This page list topics related to Malta.
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