Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544987
27 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 MAY 2026 NEWS Mosta obelisk deemed 'not historically relevant' in today's context A proposed 15-meter-high ob- elisk in Mosta's main square is being questioned by the Super- intendence of Cultural Herit- age for its historical relevance in today's urban context. The obelisk is being proposed by the Mosta council but in its assessment the superintend- ence said the structure "cannot be considered historically rele- vant". The council has argued the obelisk formed part of the original design for the square by Giorgio Grognet de Vassé. However, the superintendence said the original plans related to a different pjazza configu- ration then there is today and must be reconsidered with- in the present-day context of Pjazza Rotunda. The superintendence said it was treating the proposal not as a continuation of an original design, but as a new interven- tion within a sensitive histor- ic setting. The site lies within Mosta's Urban Conservation Area and directly opposite the Mosta Rotunda, a Grade 1 scheduled monument whose visual dominance is considered central to the square's identity. It warns that the obelisk's "considerable height" would exceed surrounding buildings and could disrupt established sightlines. It also raises concern that the structure would "im- pede both physical and visual access" to the pjazza from Triq il-Kurat Calleja, a historically significant street contributing to the legibility of the urban fabric. New photomontages from key viewpoints including one from the church parvis looking towards Triq il Kurat Calleja; have been requested before fur- ther assessment is carried out. The council had already pre- sented a set of photomontages covering other views when it had applied two years ago. Separately, Transport Malta has raised concerns on circu- lation and safety, requesting clarification on pedestrian movement across the square, including how flows between surrounding streets would function alongside existing street furniture, amenities and prior planning commitments. It has also asked for clear footpath widths and distances between the obelisk and sur- rounding buildings, recom- mending that the structure be set back from the road or pro- tected by a crash barrier. The superintendence's em- phasis on "historical relevance" sits within a wider conservation approach that is also reflected in international heritage doc- trine. While not referenced by the authority itself, frameworks such as the Venice Charter and the Burra Charter have long taken a cautious stance towards reconstruction of elements that were never built or are only partially documented, gener- ally favouring preservation of existing fabric over speculative completion of historic designs. The Venice Charter, for in- stance, limits reconstruction to cases of complete certainty and documentary evidence, while the Burra Charter treats re- construction as an exceptional intervention requiring strong justification and minimal con- jecture. In both cases, the emphasis is on safeguarding authenticity and the accumulated historical evolution of places rather than reintroducing unrealised his- torical proposals. The Mosta project, first sub- mitted in 2024, envisages a roughly 15-metre obelisk with- in the paved core of the pjazza, reviving an unbuilt element of Grognet's original concept. Designed by former may- or Chris Grech, the proposal was initially framed as a way of "completing" the historic vision of the square, drawing inspiration from classical prec- edents such as the Pantheon in Rome. Grognet, who modelled the Mosta church on a neoclassical design inspired by the Panthe- on in Rome, included an obe- lisk in his original plan for the square, similar to the one in front of the Pantheon. "The obelisk was indeed part of architect Grognet's plan for the Mosta square and was meant to feature prominently in his design. However, the plan was later shelved, and the idea of having an obelisk raised in front of the Rotunda never materialised," Mosta mayor Joseph Gatt had told MaltaToday in 2024. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Heritage watchdog questions council rationale as proposal to revive unbuilt historic design faces scrutiny over impact on Grade 1 pjazza