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Mosta

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Mosta
Il-Mosta
Local council
View of Mosta
View of Mosta
Flag of Mosta
Flag
Coat of arms of Mosta
Coat of arms
Motto: 
Spes Alit Ruricolam
Country Malta
RegionNorthern Region
DistrictNorthern District
BordersAttard, Lija, Mġarr, Naxxar, Rabat, St. Paul's Bay
Government
 • MayorEdwin Vassallo (PN)
Area
 • Total6.8 km2 (2.6 sq mi)
Population
 (March 2014)
 • Total20,241
 • Density3,000/km2 (7,700/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Mosti (m), Mostija (f), Mostin (pl)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
MST
Dialing code356
ISO 3166 codeMT-32
ZonesBeżbiżija, Blata l-Għolja, Folju, il-Ħanqa, Mosta Technopark, Mount Saint Joseph[disambiguation needed], San Ġużepp tat-Tarġa, San Pawl Eremita, San Pawl tal-Qlejgħa, San Silvestru, Santa Margerita, (Sgħajtar), L-Isperanza, Ta' Bistra, Ta' Maċedonja, Ta' Mlit, Ta' Redusa, Ta' Srajgu, Ta' Xkora, Tal-Awrora, Taċ-Ċawla, Tad-Daqqaq, Tad-Dib, Tal-Ħanżira, Tal-Qares, Tal-Wata, Tal-Wej, Tas-Sriedek, Tat-Torba, Taż-Żokrija, Tarġa Gap, Wied Ġjananu, Wied il-Għasel.
Patron saintAssumption of Mary
Day of festa15 August
WebsiteOfficial website

Mosta (Maltese: Il-Mosta) is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, to the north-west of Valletta. In 2014, it had an estimated population of 20,241.[1] Mosta celebrates the feast of the Assumption every 15 August, popular among both the locals and the tourists. The town has many legends such as the Mosta Bride (L-Għarusa tal-Mosta) and a lot of historical places such as the Victoria Lines and medieval chapels. Mosta has its own scouts and girl guides as well as two band clubs (Nicolo' Isouard and Santa Marija) and two fireworks factories. A lot of traffic passes through Constitution Street, one of Mosta's main streets which connects the South to the North. The main attraction in Mosta is the Rotunda – a huge round church with the third largest unsupported dome in the world.

St Marija Assunta Church

Mosta Dome
Main article: Rotunda of Mosta

Mosta boasts the third largest unsupported dome in the World dedicated to the Assumption.[2] The Feast of the Assumption is held on 15 August and it is a public holiday. The church is also known as the Rotunda of St Marija Assunta. On 9 April 1942, the church was nearly destroyed during World War II. An Axis bomb hit the dome of the church but failed to explode. The detonator was removed and a replica bomb is now displayed as a memorial.[3]

The Rotunda was designed by Giorgio Grognet de Vassé, a French citizen resident in Mosta. Mosta residents, at that time totalling not more than 1500, built the church. It took them 27 years to complete but the result is a tourist attraction of world standard. Grognet chose the type of stone by insisting on having one slab from each quarry operating in the Islands. He then proceeded to test their durability. In the end he chose a quarry in Mosta near to Ta' Vnezja, at the gate of an old military airfield. [citation needed]

  • Mosta Church
    Mosta Church
  • Inside Mosta the church
    Inside Mosta the church
  • The Dome from inside the church
    The Dome from inside the church
  • Mosta seen from Mdina showing Mosta Dome
    Mosta seen from Mdina showing Mosta Dome
  • Replica of the bomb
    Replica of the bomb

The Cumbo Tower

Cumbo Tower

The Cumbo Tower was the stronghold of Mosta in the Middle Ages. It is now owned by the Contessa Preziosi, the daughter of the late Barone della Quleja.

General

As Mosta is at the centre of Malta, buses pass through Mosta on the way to Buġibba, Burmarrad, St. Paul's Bay, Qawra, Xemxija, Ċirkewwa or Mellieħa in the North after having left from Valletta.

One attraction in Mosta is the Speranza Chapel ('Speranza' meaning 'hope'), which is situated close to the Speranza Valley. It was built in the 18th century, between 1760 and 1761. A legend tied to this small Chapel recounts that during a Turkish invasion, a young girl and her sisters were taking care of their family's sheep. While the sisters escaped, the little girl couldn't run very fast because she limped slightly. It is said that she hid in a cave (it is found under the Chapel, on its left side), and that she prayed to Our Lady and promised that, if she was to get out of there alive, she would build a chapel dedicated to Our Lady. When the Turkish invaders chasing her arrived, they didn't look for her in the cave because they thought the girl could not be hiding there because the web was intact.

There is also the historical farmhouse of the Marquis Mallia Tabone, which is run by the Talent Mosti philanthropy, in collaboration with the adjacent school's council. The farmhouse overlooks the valley of Wied il-Ghasel. It houses exhibitions which are held during the year. Exhibitions vary from paintings, photography, artisan work, hobbies, etc. Literary evenings are held occasionally, by volunteers, where famous Maltese writers are interviewed and topics of cultural interest are discussed.[4][5]

Local Council

As of the Maltese Local Council elections of 2015, Mosta's 13 councilors are:

  • 1. Edwin Vassallo (PN Mayor)
  • 2. Alex Muscat (PL)
  • 3. Ivan Bartolo (PN Vice Mayor)
  • 4. Keith Cassar (PN)
  • 5. James Cassar (PN)
  • 6. Rachel Tua (PL)
  • 7. Jan Luca Busuttil (PN)
  • 8. Mario Sammut (PL)
  • 9. Angele Rapa (PN)
  • 10. Karl Tanti (PN)
  • 11. Maria Pia Bonnici (PL)
  • 12. Mark Micallef (PL)
  • 13. Joseph Gatt (PL)

Twin towns – sister cities

Mosta has two "sister cities"

References

  1. ^ "Estimated Population by Locality 31st March, 2014". Government of Malta. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015.
  2. ^ Borg, Victor (2002). Rough Guide to Malta and Gozo. Rough Guides. pp. 151–2.
  3. ^ Castillo, Dennis (2006). The Maltese Cross: a strategic history of Malta. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 184.
  4. ^ http://www.talentmosti.com/home/
  5. ^ http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130630/life-features/Mosta-philanthropic-society-is-30-years-young.476208
  6. ^ Millbrae Sister Cities – Mosta millbraesistercities.org
  7. ^ (Italian) Comune di Ragusa: Comunicati Stampa ragusa.gov.it
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