Naxxar In-Naxxar | |
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Naxxar Parish Church | |
Motto(s): Prior Credidi (First to Believe) | |
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Coordinates: 35°54′54″N14°26′41″E / 35.91500°N 14.44472°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Northern Region |
District | Northern District |
Borders | Għargħur, Iklin, Lija, Mosta, Pembroke, St. Paul's Bay, Swieqi |
Government | |
• Mayor | Anne Marie Muscat Fenech Adami (PN) |
Area | |
• Total | 11.6 km2 (4.5 sq mi) |
Population (Jan. 2019) | |
• Total | 14,890 |
• Density | 1,300/km2 (3,300/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Naxxari (m), Naxxarija (f), Naxxarin (pl) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | NXR |
Dialing code | 356 |
ISO 3166 code | MT-38 |
Patron saint | Our Lady of Victories |
Feast Day | 8 September |
Website | Official website ![]() |
Naxxar (Maltese : In-Naxxar) is a town and local council in the Northern Region of Malta. The population in March 2014 was 14,891. [1] 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.
Naxxar is spread over 11 square kilometres (4 sq mi).
The whole locality comprises the following zones:
According to legend and the Bible, the Naxxarin were amongst the first to help Saint Paul and his fellow shipwrecked passengers when their ship ran aground. For this reason many connect the name Naxxar with Nassar (Nasra) which means 'conversion to Christianity'. [2]
The name might alternatively be derived from the Maltese verb "Naxar", which means to hang up clothes. Others insist that the name comes from "Nsara" or "Nazaroei" which means 'those who believe in the teachings of Christ who came from Nazareth and thus "Nozri"'. [3] Others say that the word Naxxar means 'one who saws, separates or cuts' – it might be worth mentioning that in Naxxar there are a lot of stonemasons.
Magri, in his book says that the word naxar comes from "nazar" which in Hebrew means "chosen for him" or else "one who keeps to himself". This is because in the vicinity the Arabs had formed a village that they called Hal Muselmiet, which means 'the village of the Muslims'. For this reason the Christians started another village – that of the Christians and so the name of Naxxar. [4] [2]
Although it has never been clearly explained where the name Naxxar originated, it is a clear fact that there is a close tie with the tradition that the people of Naxxar were the first converts to Christianity. In fact, the parish of Naxxar was the first in the Maltese outskirts, after that of the cathedral (Mdina) and that of Vittoriosa. This is borne out and further evidenced by the village motto – Prior Credidi – meaning the First To Believe. [2]
It is not clear when Naxxar became a village, but human habitation in the area dates to the prehistoric era. This is evidenced by megalithic remains at Tal-Qadi and at Qaliet Marku. The cart ruts which start at Salina up to it-Targa and near Ghadira tal-Wej were probably first cut in the same period. [2]
The Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School, a post-secondary state school, is located in Naxxar. GCHSS is offering academic courses at advanced, intermediate and ordinary levels. [6] Located right next to the post-secondary school is Naxxar Middle School, a secondary school.
The Naxxar parish church was one of the ten parishes found to be existing by Bishop De Mello in 1436 and the villages of Mosta and Għargħur were subject to it. De Mello listed it as one of the ten parishes of Malta and it was the first parish dedicated to Our Lady after that of the old cathedral in Mdina. In 1575, the parish of Naxxar had under its control a total of 36 churches – 14 in Naxxar, 5 in Għargħur, 12 in Mosta and 5 in the neighbourhood of these villages. The present church was built between 1616 and 1630 when there were 1,200 inhabitants in Naxxar and it was felt that a larger church was needed. The design was made by Tumas Dingli, one of the best architects of the time. The parish priest was Father Gakbu Pace. The choir and the area around it was redesigned in 1691 to the design of Lorenzo Gafà, the same architect who had designed the Mdina cathedral. The parish church was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Alpheran de Bussan on 11 December 1732.
The church has three choirs: the renowned Jubilate Deo choir under the direction of Christopher Muscat, its sister children's choir Pueri Cantores Jubilate Deo handled by Daniela Callus and Kor Gaudete In Domino directed by Mario Attard. The church also has two transepts and a nave and is 130 feet (40 m) long. The width of the transept is 94 feet (29 m) and the nave 30 feet (9.1 m). The large bell was made by the founder Toni Tanti in 1840 and cost. The façade of the church has two clocks, one showing the actual time whilst the other is a painting and shows the time as a quarter to eleven.
The main painting shows the Birth of Our Lady which is attributed to the school of Mattia Preti whilst at the side there are two paintings by Stefano Erardi which show the Flight to Egypt and the Adoration of the Magi. Other paintings which show the Madonna and Child, St. Cajetan, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Our Saviour and Our Lady of Sorrows are the works of the Maltese painter Franġisku Zahra. In the sacristy hangs the antique painting showing Our Lady of the Rosary which was painted on wood by Gio Maria Abela in 1595.
The main door, which is made of bronze, is dated to 1913 and is the work of Pio Cellini. The door is made up of four main panels depicting the coat of arms of Our Lady, Patroness of Naxxar; the village coat of arms; the coat of arms of Pope Pius X and the coat of arms of the Zammit family who were the benefactors of this door. In 1952, this door was dismantled, renovated and cleaned by the blacksmith Mastru Lucens Agius. The expenses involved were once more paid for by the Zammit family.
The statue of the Vitorja, whose feast is celebrated on 8 September, was imported from Rome whilst the statues of the Good Friday Procession are the work of a Maltese craftsman. Naxxar was one of the first villages which had the statues of the Passion of Our Lord and in fact it is believed that the procession started being held just after 1750. On 9 November 1787, the body of the martyr St. Vittorio was brought from the cemetery of St. Calepodio of Rome and is found in the altar in the choir. Some of the sculptures and façades were made by Angelo Quatromanni.
In the larger Naxxar area, there are various chapels. These include the chapel of the Immaculate Conception which was built in the 18th century; St Lucy's chapel; the chapel of the Shipwreck of St. Paul situated at San Pawl tat-Tarġa; Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist; the chapel of St. James the Apostle; Santa Maria tax-Xagħra; the Assumption of the Virgin in Magħtab which was built in the 18th century; the Annunciation of the Virgin at Salina which was built in the 16th century; the church of St. Michael the Archangel in Salina; that of St. John the Evangelist and that of St. Mary of the Angels in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. [2]
The actual area where Naxxar is built offers a natural shelter to its inhabitants. In fact, in early times the village was used to reconnoitre the movements of the enemy. Because this height has a plain which goes right down to the sea, we find that three forms of defence were built through the ages – those along the sea such as towers, entrenchments, batteries, redoubts and beachposts – as a physical resistance to those attempting to land from the sea; inland defences like pillboxes – to hinder the advance of the enemy if they were successful in landing; and the fortifications on high ground. [9] [2] [10] [11]
Some fortifications around Naxxar include:
Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar was built by Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena in the 18th century. The palace was used by the Jesuit community as a university. After buying the property in 1898, Marquis Scicluna altered it into its present state and purchased more land at the back, converting it into a garden, between 1898 and 1906. [12]
Palazzo Nasciaro is an 18th-century palace built during the Order of St. John that saw different adaptive reuse throughout the years. It is a prime example of late baroque architecture in Naxxar. Throughout its history, it was the residence of architect Francesco Sammut and later of his son Giovanni Sammut, it was the Lieutenant's house in the north of Malta, later served as the first public school in Naxxar, it was the police headquarters and until recently a police station, it served as a maternity underground hospital during World War II and provided shelter for the community from the war bombardments. Today, it is a private residence. [2]
Hompesch Hunting Lodge was a hunting lodge built by Grandmaster Hompesch close to Gauci Tower and Captain's Tower. Today it is in a dilapidated state. [13]
Villa Castro, formerly Palazzo Castro, is a Knights-period country residence which has been renovated and developed for modern housing in the 21st century. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [ excessive citations ] The outer gardens were demolished and developed into other surrounding buildings along the years. [35]
The head office of Quality Schools International, an international school organization, is in Naxxar. [36]
Mdina, also known by its Italian epithets Città Vecchia and Città Notabile, is a fortified city in the Northern Region of Malta which served as the island's capital from antiquity to the medieval period. The city is still confined within its walls, and has a population of 250, but it is contiguous with the town of Rabat, which takes its name from the Arabic word for suburb, and has a population of over 11,000.
Maltese architecture has its origins in prehistory, and some of the oldest free-standing structures on Earth – a series of megalithic temples – can be found on Malta. The islands were colonized by the Phoenicians and later the Romans, who established the cities of Melite and Gaulos. Although these were substantial settlements and are known to have had numerous temples, churches and palaces, few remains have survived apart from some architectural fragments.
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.
Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq is an urban village in Malta situated between the limits of Madliena, Magħtab, Għargħur and Pembroke. The area is situated at the mouth of the island's longest valley called 'Wied il-Kbir'. The name Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq in Maltese can be translated to 'sea of pebbles' in English. It has a population of approximately 1,250 people.
This page list topics related to Malta.
The Victoria Lines, originally known as the North West Front, are a line of fortifications that spans 12 kilometres along the width of Malta, dividing the north of the island from the more heavily populated south.
Din l-Art Ħelwa is a non-governmental and non-profit, voluntary organisation founded in 1965 by Maltese Judge Maurice Caruana Curran to safeguard Malta's cultural heritage and natural environment. Since its foundation, Din l-Art Ħelwa has restored numerous cultural sites of historic and environmental importance and currently has the guardianship of a number of them. Many of the sites are open to visitors and for events, thanks to an army of dedicated volunteers. The organisation promotes the preservation and protection of historic buildings and monuments, the character of Malta's towns and villages, and places of natural beauty. It is very active in campaigning against proposed construction which infringes planning laws or policies, and regularly objects to planning applications, taking legal action to halt development in some cases. The NGO stimulates the enforcement of existing laws and the enactment of new ones for the protection of Malta's natural and built heritage.
In Malta, most of the main roads are in the outskirts of the localities to connect one urban area with another urban area. The most important roads are those that connect the south of the island with the northern part, like Tal-Barrani Road, Aldo Moro Street in Marsa and Birkirkara Bypass.
The fortifications of Malta consist of a number of walled cities, citadels, forts, towers, batteries, redoubts, entrenchments and pillboxes. The fortifications were built over hundreds of years, from around 1450 BC to the mid-20th century, and they are a result of the Maltese islands' strategic position and natural harbours, which have made them very desirable for various powers.
The Northern Region is one of six regions of Malta. The region includes the northwestern part of the main island of Malta. The region borders the Eastern, Southern and Western Regions, and is also close to Gozo Region.
Qalet Marku Battery, also known as D'Orbeau Battery, was an artillery battery in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was built in 1715–1716 by the Order of Saint John as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. The battery has been largely destroyed, but some remains can still be seen.
Qalet Marku Redoubt was a redoubt in the limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was built in 1715–1716 by the Order of Saint John as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. It was demolished to make way for the coast road, but its remains are possibly still buried under the road.
Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Redoubt is a redoubt in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, limits of Naxxar, Malta. It was built in 1715–1716 by the Order of Saint John as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands. Today, the redoubt still exists and is in relatively good condition.
The Naxxar Entrenchment is an infantry entrenchment in Naxxar, Malta, which was built in the 18th century by the Order of Saint John. Today, it lies in ruins but is still the best preserved inland entrenchment in Malta. It is a list monument of the NICPMI.
Palazzo Parisio, formerly known as Scicluna Palace, Palazzo Scicluna, and officially Palazzo Parisio and Gardens, is a 20th-century palace in Naxxar, Malta. On site was a hunting lodge built in 1733 by Paolo Parisio, and was used as a summer or permanent residence, barracks and a college, before being acquired by the Marquis Scicluna in 1898.
Palazzo Nasciaro is an 18th-century townhouse in Naxxar, Malta, built during the Order of St. John. The townhouse was originally built as a family home, but has undergone adaptive reuse several times to fit the changing needs of the local population.
Hompesch Hunting Lodge, also known as Id-Dar tal-Kaċċa, is an 18th-century hunting lodge in Naxxar, Malta. It is a traditional Maltese historic building with a vernacular architecture. The hunting lodge was built intentionally to be used as a hunting lodge for the Grand Master of the Order of St. John, namely Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim. Today the building is in a dilapidated state.
Ta' Cisju Farmhouse is an 18th-century farmhouse in Naxxar, Malta. The farmhouse was built in 1730 in an area known as Ħal Muselmiet, during the rule of the Order of St. John. According to the Naxxar Local Council, the building is the oldest farmhouse in the area of its type. The farmhouse has a vernacular structure with traditional Maltese architecture. The farmhouse was used for agricultural purposes but it is now a residential building.
Maltese Baroque architecture is the form of Baroque architecture that developed in Malta during the 17th and 18th centuries, when the islands were under the rule of the Order of St. John. The Baroque style was introduced in Malta in the early 17th century, possibly by the Bolognese engineer Bontadino de Bontadini during the construction of the Wignacourt Aqueduct. The style became popular in the mid to late 17th century, and it reached its peak during the 18th century, when monumental Baroque structures such as Auberge de Castille were constructed.
Wardija is a hamlet in St. Paul's Bay, Malta, about 363 feet above sea level. Its name is corrupted from the Sicilian or Italian word guardia, meaning 'to watch'). Although the name of the hamlet has Arabic lexicons, it was probably named later when Maltese, then an Arabic dialect, remained a dominant language. The hamlet is bordered with Bidnija, Buġibba, San Martin and Pwales. Several archeological remains are found in the whereabouts, proving that it was inhabited in pre-history and the Roman period, and it has always been mainly a rural village. From the 16th till the 18th-centuries it saw a shift into a hunting zone with the construction of several hunting lodges and chapels.
Quality Schools International Ardent Business Center, 1st Floor Triq l-Oratorju, Naxxar NXR 2504 Malta