2015Treasures of Malta Series III - Aqueducts - Presentation Pack

Commemorating the 400th anniversary from the construction of the Wignacourt Aqueduct

Since ancient times, aqueducts were constructed to convey water from one location to another usually by using a system of natural riverbeds, canals bridges or other forms of stonework. In Malta aqueducts were mainly built above the ground in the form of bridges.

The Knights of St John built Valletta on an arid, rocky peninsula that had just one natural spring and consequently an aqueduct was necessary so as to provide the new city with water. The first attempts to build an aqueduct were made in 1596 by Grandmaster Martin Garzes. Many engineers were employed, but most of their attempts failed.

In 1610, work began on an aqueduct planned by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt to bring water to the City from natural springs beneath the hills around Mdina.
The aqueduct ran from springs in Rabat and Dingli, through the countryside and Attard by means of underwater pipes. However the ground level dropped from Balzan onwards and since it proved too difficult to build underground channels here, engineer Bontadino de Bontadini of Bologna constructed stone arches to carry water from Balzan through Birkirkara, and the area that later became known as Fleur-de-Lys and Santa Venera.

At Santa Venera, the arches ended at a tower from which point water continued its journey through Hamrun, Blata l-Bajda and Floriana where it reached the Wignacourt Water Tower depicted on the 1.55 stamp. The water then found its way to Valletta through underground pipes.

The construction of the aqueduct in Fleur-de-Lys, which is illustrated on the0.42 stamp, was recorded on a marble tablet which included Wignacourt's coat of arms. This marble tablet was destroyed during World War II and never replaced. The Latin inscription read "So far Valletta was a corpse, now, the spirit of water revives her; as once the first spirit moved on the water, so now that water has been led to her, the spirit returns"