These weekly pictorial essays have so far only covered prominent landmarks in Valletta and Gozo that no longer grace cityscapes and panoramas. But the rest of the island has not been spared time’s erosion of its history. A number of its foremost structures had to pay the ultimate price to real or perceived progress.

The original Fleur de Lys arch ‘accidentally’ demolished by a military vehicle in World War II.

The unrelenting blitz of World War II, besides Valletta, targeted mercilessly the three antique harbour cities and their surroundings, like Marsa and Kalkara, and the exigencies of defence sacrificed other outstanding edifices, like Gourgion palace, in Gozo, and Chateau Bertrand, in Ta’ Qali.

The Savoy Hotel, one of the earliest in Sliema.

Genuine progress in transport and communications found no way of saving the narrow baroque entrances to fortified cities. Not one single decorated gate of Valletta of the knights has survived – all demolished.

The historic watchtower in Vittoriosa damaged and dismantled during World War II and never rebuilt.

Same for Floriana. Porte des Bombes has suffered modifications at least five times, to render it unrecognisable.

Malta never took on board art nouveau architecture

And the massive Notre Dame and St Anne’s gates had to be obliterated, to facilitate the flow of traffic.

Casa Said, one of the lost art nouveau edifices in Tower Road, Sliema. All images from the author’s collections

And we must mercifully overlook the ‘accidental’ collision by a service truck that destroyed the original Fleur-de-Lys gate that was slowing down heavy military vehicles.

The rigging once used in Grand Harbour to mast and unmast sailing ships.

Malta never took on board with genuine passion art nouveau architecture, like Vienna, Prague, Turin or Budapest had done, becoming world shrines for the new aesthetic. But Sliema did put in some effort to catch up in the first quarter of the 20th century. Creditable landmarks stood out, with refined art nouveau detailing, like Casa Said, the Chalet and the Meadowbank Hotel, among others.

The elegant art nouveau Medaowbank complex formerly in Tower Road, Sliema.

Apart from Balluta Buildings, in St Julian’s and the Lombard Bank branch, in Tower Road, virtually all the others have been razed to the ground, to make way for flats with a sea view.

The original church of St Ubaldesca in Paola.

The Chalet, once Sliema’s art nouveau entertainment hub.

The military chapel in Tigné Barracks, Sliema, now modified and used as office space.