Project Description
Castille Place is located on the highest part of the land-front of Valletta. The square is enclosed by various prominent buildings and structures, amongst which are the Auberge de Castille which housed the Castillian and Portuguese knights of the Order of St. John, St. James’ Cavalier which is one of the two keeps within Valletta’s fortifications, the Malta Stock Exchange, formerly a British Garrison Church, and the Valletta Post Office, formerly the Casa dell’ Annona, where all business in connection with the importation of cereals and other foodstuffs was transacted, some of which were stored in a number of grain silos scattered within the square.
In 1927, works were commenced for traffic from Floriana to enter Valletta from the square and a road spanning the ditch was built and named Duke of York Avenue, which in 1964 was renamed Triq Glormu Cassar. For some years, the square also served as a terminus for some of the route busses.
In 2007, the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation (GHRC) was entrusted with the rehabilitation of Castille Place which was partially financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERFD403), and estimated to cost around €2.5 million.
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The project involved the earthworks, paving and embellishment of the square ensuring a more aesthetic look to the area, including the pedestrianisation of a large area of the square and creating additional open spaces within the city. The project helped to improve and regulate vehicular traffic from this part of Valletta and controlling its movement and that of pedestrians. Through the refurbishment of the square artistic lighting was installed to accentuate the visibility and detail of the square.
The trees that were in the central roundabout were removed and replanted in another locality and trees were to be planted around the square to make up for their removal. As part of this upgrading, the laying of a concrete sub-base for underground services was to be prepared for the paving works. The embellishment involved some 7,000m2 of various types of paving, new street furniture and a fountain. Some of the old grain silos were also uncovered and recapped.
The project was completed and officially inaugurated in October 2015 on the occasion of the visit by Queen Elizabeth II for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Proġett Tisbiħ ta’ Pjazza Kastilja, Valletta
Pjazza Kastilja tinsab fuq l-ogħla parti tal-faċċata tal-Belt Valletta. Il-pjazza hi mdawra minn diversi bini u strutturi prominenti, fosthom il-Berga ta`Kastilja, ir-residenza tal-kavallieri Kastiljani u Portugiżi tal-Ordni ta’ San Ġwann, il-Kavallier ta’ San Ġakbu li huwa wieħed miż-żewġ torrijiet fis-swar tal-Belt Valletta, Il-Borża ta’ Malta, li qabel kienet knisja għas-suldati Brittaniċi u l-Uffiċċju tal-Posta tal-Belt, li qabel kienet Casa della Annona, fejn kieni sir kull negozju b’rabta mal-importazzjoni ta’ ċereali u ikel ieħor, li wħud minnhom kienu maħżuna f’numru ta’ fosos tal-qamħ imxerrda madwar il-pjazza.
Fl-1927, inbdew xogħlijiet biex it-traffiku mill-Furjana jidħol fil-Belt Valletta mill-pjazza u nbniet triq li qasmet il-foss u ssemmiet Vjal id-Duka ta` York, li fl-1964 ingħatat l-isem ta’ Triq Glormu Cassar. Għal xi snin, il-pjazza serviet ukoll bħala terminus għal uħud karozzi tal-linja.
Fl-2007, il-Korporazzjoni għar-Riġenerazzjoni tal-Port il-Kbir (GHRC) ġiet fdata bil-proġett tar-riabilitazzjoni ta’ Pjazza Kastilja, li kien parzjalment iffinanzjata mill-Fond Ewropew għall-Iżvilupp Reġjonali (ERFD403), u stmat li jiswa madwar €2.5 miljun.
Il-proġett involva il-qluħ tal-wiċċ ta l-art kollha, pavimentar ġdid u tisbiħ tal-pjazza biex tkun żgurata dehra aktar estetika għaż-żona, inkluż il-pedestriazzjoni ta ‘żona kbira mil-pjazza u l-ħolqien ta’ spazji miftuħa addizzjonali fil-Belt. Il-proġett għen biex jitjieb u jirregola t-traffiku ta` vetturi minn din il-parti tal-Belt Valletta u jiġi kkontrollat il-moviment tagħhom u dak tal-pedonali. Permezz tar-rinnovament tal-pjazza ġie ukol installat dawl artistiku biex jaċċentwa l-dehra u d-dettall tal-pjazza.
Is-siġar li kien hemm fir-roundabout ċentrali tneħħew u reġgħu tħawlu f-lokalita` oħra u kellhom jitħawlu siġar madwar il-pjazza biex jagħmlu tajjeb għat-tneħħija tagħhom. Bħala parti minn dan ix-xogħol ta’ titjib, it-tqegħid kellhom jiġu ppreparati bażi tal-konkos għax-xogħlijiet ta’ pavimentar u għas-servizzi ta taħt l-art. It-tisbiħ kien jinvolvi madwar 7,000 metru kwadru ta’ diversi tipi ta’ pavimentar, bankijiet u faċilitajiet ġdida u funtana. Xi wħud mil-fosos tal-qamħ ġew mikxufa u sarulhom kapitelli -ġoddda.
Il-progett kien inawgurat f’Ottubru 2015 fl-okkażjoni taż-żjara mir-Reġina Eliżabetta II għal-Laqgħa tal-Kapijiet tal-Gvern tal-Commonwealth.
