The Wignacourt Aqueduct (Maltese: L-Akwedott ta' Wignacourt) is a 17th-century aqueduct in Malta, which was built by the Order of Saint John to carry water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to the newly built capital city Valletta. The aqueduct carried water through underground pipes and over arched viaducts across depressions in the ground. The first attempts to build the aqueduct were made by Grand Master Martin Garzez in 1596, but construction was suspended before being continued in 1610. The watercourse was inaugurated five years later on 21 April 1615. Several engineers took part in the project, including Bontadino de Bontadini, Giovanni Attard and Natale Tomasucci. The aqueduct was named after Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, who partially financed its construction. The aqueduct remained in use until the 20th century. Most of its arches still survive today, and can still be seen in the localities of Attard, Balzan, Birkirkara, Fleur-de-Lys and Santa Venera. Other remains of the aqueduct include water towers at Santa Venera, Hamrun and Floriana, and several fountains in Floriana and Valletta.
History
In 1566, the capital city of Valletta was founded on the Sciberras Peninsula, which did not have a good water supply. Rainwater collected within the city was not enough to meet the needs of its population. Water had to be carted from springs to the city, but this became difficult by the end of the 16th century, when the city had become the largest settlement in Malta. At the time, there were also fears of an Ottoman attack on Malta, so a steady water supply to the capital was a priority for the military authorities in case of a siege.
The order to build an aqueduct to carry water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to the capital was issued on 19 October 1596. That year, Grand Master Martin Garzez brought in the Jesuit Padre Giacomo to design the watercourse. His design was accepted and work was begun, but construction was suspended soon afterwards due to financial reasons. On 9 January 1610, work on the aqueduct began again under the direction of another Jesuit called Padre Natale Tomasucci. By this time, Garzez had died and was succeeded as Grand Master by Alof de Wignacourt. In July 1612, the Bolognese hydraulic expert Bontadino de Bontadini took over the project, probably on the recommendation of Inquisitor Evangelista Carbonesi. Bontadini designed a new watercourse with water being carried through underground pipes and over stone arches when there were depressions in the ground. Bontadini was assisted by a Maltese capomastro Giovanni Attard and two other Sicilian engineers. 600 local workers were employed in the construction of the aqueduct, which was completed in 1614 and inaugurated on 21 April 1615. The aqueduct cost a total of 434,605 scudi, most of which was paid by Grandmaster Wignacourt. The aqueduct was therefore named in his honour.
Upon its completion, the aqueduct supplied 1,400 m3 (49,000 cu ft) of water every day to around 30,000 people. The constant supply of water brought about a rise in the populations of Valletta, Floriana and other towns and villages along the route of the aqueduct. The aqueduct was improved by Grand Master Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc in 1781. On 4 September 1798, in the early stages of the Maltese uprising against the French, insurgents ambushed French soldiers near the aqueduct at Mrieħel, in the limits of Birkirkara.
In 1907, there was a proposal to construct buildings on top of the aqueduct, with its arches effectively serving as an arcade. The Office of the Public Works drew up plans for these buildings, but eventually nothing materialized. The aqueduct remained in use until the early 20th century. Parts of the aqueduct, such as in Mosta Road, Attard, were demolished after WWII due to the development of housing estates and roadbuilding in the area. From 2004 to 2005, the aqueduct's surviving arches were restored and a lighting system was installed at a total cost of Lm 140,000. Some of the arches are in need of restoration once again, mainly because of pollution since a major road now runs alongside the aqueduct. A section of the aqueduct was extensively damaged in December 2013 due to a car crash, but the damage has since been repaired. Various sections of the aqueduct are scheduled by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) as grade 1 national monuments and are listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.
Architecture
The aqueduct ran from the springs in Rabat and Dingli to the countryside near Attard through underground pipes. From Attard onwards, the ground level was irregular so stone arches were constructed where there were depressions. The arches begin at present-day Peter Paul Rubens Street (Maltese: Triq Peter Paul Rubens) in Attard, and are initially quite small. They continue through Mdina Road (Maltese: Triq l-Imdina) in Balzan and Birkirkara, and the height of the arches gradually increases as the ground level drops. At Fleur-de-Lys, the aqueduct crossed the road, and the Wignacourt Arch was built to commemorate the project. The arches then continue through St. Joseph High Road (Maltese: Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp) in Santa Venera, until they stop at a small tower known as the Tower of St. Joseph. From this tower, water continued its journey to Hamrun, Blata l-Bajda, Floriana and Valletta through underground pipes once again. Water inspection towers were also built at Hamrun and Floriana. The aqueduct was built of local limestone. Stones were attached with the use of pozzolana. It was this successful feature that gave most praise to Bontadini. The aqueduct supplied water to cisterns in private and public buildings, to ships in Marsamxett Harbour and Grand Harbour, and to fountains which generally included a water trough.
Wignacourt Arch/Fleur-de-Lys Gate
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