Real location of the foundation stone of Valletta revealed
St John's bastion, Valletta
Real location of the foundation stone of Valletta revealed.
On 28 March 1566 Grand Master de Valette has laid the foundation stone of a new city of Valletta.
For many years it has been considered that it happened on the spot of Our Lady of Victory church. You can even see a plate near the church mentioning that event. This assumption was based on the fact that it was the first building in the Valletta’s construction plan.
In 1924 the assumption became a “fact” thanks to the Committee of the Malta Historical and Scientific Society. This is when they installed a marble plate on the church, indicating that it was the spot of the foundation stone.
In 2018 the book “Humillima Civitas Vallettae” has revealed new facts from the history of Valletta. It includes the notes the Augustinian preacher Fr Spirito Angusciola (1534-1586) and the official historian of the Order Giacomo Bosio(1544-1627). These notes indicate that GM de Valette laid the foundation stone himself under the wall of the bastion named after St John the Baptist (on the left side from the entrance to Valletta).
It makes sense, as St John is a patron saint of the Order and foundation stone under the bastion named after him could create a stronger protection for the city.
The foundation stone was engraved with an 8 pointed cross, the date and an inscription in Latin, commemorating the date. Foundation stone was laid in the ground together with the golden medals and coins, which had been minted specially for this occasion.
You can find more details about this case in the book “Humillima Civitas Vallettae”.
We would like to thank the authors of the book who revealed new facts from the Maltese history and make the history studying more thrilling.
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