- Address: Triq Sant 'Orsla, Il-Belt Valletta, Malta
- Year of foundation: 1663.
- Founder: Nicholas Cottoner
Valletta is one of the few fortified cities in Malta that have survived to this day. It is a unique city with many attractions: almost every house is an architectural monument and it takes a lot of time to study the city in detail. Start your acquaintance with the city by visiting the Upper Barracca Gardens, from here you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view not only of Valletta, but also of the harbors, forts, bays and ships arriving to the port.
General information
Gardens are located above the bastions of St. Paul and Peter. The initiator of their creation was Master Nicholas Cottoner, known for linking the cities of Vittoriosa, Senglei, and Cospiquua ( Three cities ) with two rows of defensive walls (the "Cottoner line"). The fortress city really needed a green island, and in 1663 the Barrakka gardens were broken.
Initially, the Barracka Gardens were private property of the Italian knights and are closed to visitors by strangers, so earlier the Gardens were also called "The Garden of Italian Knights". The Italian knights liked to spend the evenings on cozy benches of gardens, hide from the hot sun in the shade of thick trees and inhale the scent of pine, eucalyptus and oleander, admire the flower beds and small fountains. In 1824 the garden was opened for general use.
Barrakka gardens suffered very badly from air attacks during World War II, but after a careful restoration, they rejoice once again the resting paths, flower beds, sculptures and monuments, which, by the way, are larger than green spaces. In 1903, the Garden was decorated with a bronze ensemble of the talented Maltese sculptor Antonio Shortino - "Gavroshi", created under the impression of Roman Victor Hugo "Les Miserables" and personifying all the difficulties that fell to Malta in the early 20th century. Back in the garden you will find a small bust of Churchill and a monument dedicated to the governor of the island - Sir Thomas Beitland. A distinctive feature of the Upper Barrakka Gardens is the daily noon artillery salvo of 11 guns, which are in the foreground in the lower part of the bastion of Saints Peter and Paul.
The Upper Barrakka Gardens will not surprise you with their size - they are very small, but, despite their modest size, combine all the advantages of a city park, architectural ensemble and a magnificent viewing platform.
How to get there and when to visit?
To get to the Barrakka Gardens you can walk: from Zechariah Street turn left, go through the Opera House, after which you will see the gate. Upper Barrakka gardens are open daily until 9 pm, admission is free.
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