Façade of La Valette's preferred church restored

Intensive restoration of the façade of Our Lady of Victory church, in Valletta - where Grand Master La Valette used to spend hours praying and was buried when he died - has been completed.

The full restoration of the church will be finished next year when the ceiling frescoes are restored.

The church, the first building in Valletta, standing on the spot where the celebration of the foundation of the city was held in 1566, was described by John Bonello, chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers, as the cornerstone of Valletta. The company has helped with financing the work. Mr Bonello said Pricewaterhouse-Coopers also wanted to be involved in the restoration of the church's interior.

The first phase of the project saw the restoration of the parish house, while the frescoes restoration was studied. The second phase consisted in the restoration of a bronze bust and the façade's marble and the third phase saw the restoration of the façade. To date the work has cost Lm35,000.

Speaking during the unveiling of the restored façade, Infrastructure and Resources Minister Ninu Zammit said the job was part of a series of restoration projects which were being done all over the country. He said projects were underway in other parts of Valletta, Cottonera, St Gregory in Zejtun, Sarria chapel in Floriana and Argotti.

Mr Zammit said the ministry was investing heavily in the training of restorers