Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1539007
18 | Architecture & Design BRIDGES BRIDGES THROUGH THROUGH TIME TIME I n a significant milestone for national heritage preservation, the Planning Authority has officially granted Grade 2 and Grade 3 protection to nine historic bridges across Malta and Gozo. This important decision coordinated by the Heritage Planning Unit in collaboration with the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) marks a continued commitment to safeguarding Malta's unique civil engineering legacy. Spanning over a century of development, these bridges are far more than functional structures. They represent key moments in Malta's transformation from a heavily fortified outpost under British rule to a modern Mediterranean state. Many of the bridges were vital to 19th-century military logistics, particularly those tied to the Victoria Lines, the extensive defensive network built by the British to protect the island's northern territory. "These bridges are more than just physical crossings. They are historical threads that connect communities, eras, and the intertwined civilian and military histories that have shaped our islands," said Mr. Michael Portelli of the Heritage Planning Unit. "By protecting them, we are preserving stories etched in stone, investing in memory, beauty, and national pride," he added. The newly scheduled bridges showcase a wide variety of forms from elegant single- arch structures to multi-arch viaducts crafted primarily from globigerina limestone, a material that has long shaped Malta's architectural identity. Several also incorporate early concrete techniques, illustrating the evolution of engineering practices over time. M a l t a a n d G o z o s a f e g u a r d n i n e h i s t o r i c b r i d g e s , s p a n n i n g 1 9 t h – 2 0 t h c e n t u r i e s , w i t h G r a d e 2 a n d 3 p r o t e c t i o n , p r e s e r v i n g m i l i t a r y , c i v i l , a n d a r c h i t e c t u r a l h e r i t a g e w h i l e c e l e b r a t i n g t h e i s l a n d s ' u n i q u e e n g i n e e r i n g l e g a c y . Planning Authority Formally Schedules 19th Century Engineering Landmarks Constitution Road Bridge, Mosta Tal-Isperanza Bridge, Mosta