With the launch of Valletta as the European Capital of Culture for 2018 right around the corner, Is-Suq tal-Belt, the iconic Valletta market is set to open its doors on 3 January, following its yearlong restoration.
The Arkadia Group invested €14 million euro in the regeneration after being granted a 65 year-long lease by Parliament, which had unanimously approved the project in 2016.
The brains behind the design is architect Professor Marco Casamonti, whose signature marks one of the most successful food markets in Florence, the San Lorenzo Market.
Tasked with renovating and restoring the market to its former glory, the new premises will consist of three main areas. The underground floor will consist of a market, which will mainly focus on food while food courts and food tasting kiosks will occupy the ground floor. An upper level will be used for cultural events, and will be open to the public in the first week of February.
The project is expected to provide employment for 250 people.
Commissioned in 1858 by Governor John Gaspard Le Marchant while Malta was under British rule, construction on the original structure begun in 1859 and was completed by 1861. The building was designed by Hector Zimelli, the superintendent of public works at the time, to house the open air market which took place by the Grand Master's Palace.
It had 153 stalls, 65 cellars, and a central skylight.
The market was victim to bombings during World War II and suffered significant damage, only to be redesigned as a shopping centre in 1983, before succumbing to disuse once again.
Photos by Michael Camilleri
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2lsop20
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