Birkirkara

Birkirkara Il-Kunsill Lokali ta' Birkirkara B'kara, Birchircara, San Ġwann ta' l-Għorgħar
—  Local council  —
Birkirkara
Birkirkara, residential area
Coat of arms
Motto: In hoc signo vinces
Coordinates: 35°53′48″N 14°27′45″E
Country	Malta
Island	Malta
District
Borders	Balzan, Iklin, Lija, Msida, San Ġwann, Santa Venera, Qormi
Government
• Mayor	Michael Fenech Adami (PN)
Area
• Total	2.7 km2 (1 sq mi)
Elevation	40 m (131 ft)
Population (Nov 2010; Most populated Maltese locality)
• Total	25,858
• Density	9,577/km2 (24,804.4/sq mi)
Demonym	Karkariż (m), Karkariża (f), Karkariżi (pl)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	BKR
Dialing code	356
Patron saint	St. Helen; St. Mary; St. Joseph the Worker; Our Lady of Mount Carmel; St. Anthony of Padova
Day of festa	St. Helen August 18 (or first Sunday after date); Sunday after 15 August; May 1; First Sunday of July; First Sunday of June
Website	Official website

Birkirkara or B'Kara (Italian: Birchircara) is a city of 25,858 inhabitants (as of November 2010) in central Malta. It is the most populated town on the island and consists of four autonomous parishes: St Helen, St Joseph, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Mary. It also houses one of the most famous colleges in Malta, St Aloysius' College. Birkirkara is the home town of Ex-President Edward Fenech Adami and former Opposition Leader Alfred Sant and also the birth place of the first president of Malta Anthony Mamo.

The city's motto is "In hoc signo vinces", and its coat of arms is a plain red cross, surmounted by a crown.

Description

There are many places of interest in Birkirkara, amongst them the Old Railway Station which is today located within a public garden.

The Birchircara Old Railway Station

Trains were used as means of transportation across the island until the Railway's closure in 1931. Other town features include the aqueducts built by Grandmaster Wignacourt in the 17th Century and St Helen's basilica, one of the most beautiful churches on the Maltese islands, housing Malta's largest church bell. Birkirkara is one of Malta's oldest towns and received mention in the 1436 Ecclesiastical Report mentioning the then existing parishes in Malta and Gozo, from which Birkirkara emerged as the largest parish. Various parishes and suburbs developed out of Birkirkara over the years, including Sliema, St. Julian's, Msida, Hamrun in the 19th century and Santa Venera in the early 20th century. In more recent years, San Gwann (1965) and the hamlet of Ta' l-Ibraġ hived off Birkirkara to form part of the new parish and locality of Swieqi in 1993.

Birkirkara's main religious feast is that of St Helen which is celebrated on 18 August if it falls on a Sunday, or on the first Sunday after that date. The main event of the celebration is a procession with a large wooden statue carved by the Maltese master-sculptor Salvu Psaila. Notably, this is the only procession (with a titular statue) on the island carried out in the morning. The procession leaves the basilica at exactly 8:00 a.m. and returns to it at 10:45 a.m. The statue is lifted to shoulder-height by a group of townsmen and is carried through the main streets of the town.

Birkirkara has grown into an important commercial centre as well as a densely populated residential area.

Birkirkara Local Council

The current Birkirkara local council members are:

• Michael Fenech Adami (mayor, PN)
• Phillip Camilleri (PL)
• Emanuel Aquilina (PL)
• Rita Borg (PL)
• Doris Bonavia (PN)
• George Debattista (PN)
• Anthony Buttigieg (PL)
• Chirelle Sciberras (PL)
• Mark G. Abdilla (PN)
• Josianne Cardona Gatt (PN)
• Rose Frendo (PN)
• John Borg (PN)
• Jimmy Calleja (PL)

Birkirkara Community Service

• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Church, Triq Fleur-de-Lys (Fleur-de-Lys Road), Fleur-de-Lys
• Our Lady, Mother of the Church Parish Church, Triq il-Graffiti Navali, Swatar
• St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church, Triq il-Bwieraq (Bwieraq Street)
• St. Helen's Parish Church, Triq is-Santwarju (Sanctuary Street)
• St. Mary's Parish Church, Triq il-Knisja l-Qadima (Old Church Street)
• Our Lady of Victory Parish Church, Triq il-Vitorja (Victory Street)
• Birkirkara Local Council, Triq Tumas Fenech (Thomas Fenech Street)
• Birkirkara District Police Station, Triq il-Kbira (Main Street)
• Birkirkara Malta Labour Party Club, Triq Fleur-de-Lys (Fleur-de-Lys Road)
• Birkirkara Partit Nazzjonalista Club, Triq Fleur-de-Lys (Fleur-de-Lys Road)
• Birkirkara Branch Post Office, Triq il-Wied (Valley Road)
  • Birkirkara Sub-Post Offices at: Triq Mannarino (Mannarino Road); Triq Tumas Fenech (Thomas Fenech Street); and Triq L. Casolani (L. Casolani Street)
• Da Vinci Hospital, Triq Kan. K. Pirotta (Can. K. Pirotta Street)
• Birkirkara Health Centre, Triq Tumas Fenech
• Birkirkara Regional Library, Triq Tumas Fenech

Zones in Birkirkara

• Bwieraq
• Fleur-De-Lys
• Għar il-Ġobon
• Laqxija
• Mrieħel
• Ta' Fuq il-Wied
• Ta' Gannus
• Ta' Ganu
• Ta' Paris
• Tal-Brieqex
• Tal-Maħlut
• Tal-Qattus
• Tas-Salib
• Tas-Swatar

Sport

Birkirkara is known for its football club, Birkirkara F.C.."

External links

• Birkirkara Local Council
• the Historical Society Website
• Birkirkara: general information
• Birkirkara and the cross
• Empress Helen en fete
• Places to visit in Birkirkara
• Birkirkara Football Club
• Birkirkara Ultras 1997