The 51 traditional stone balconies within the Manderaggio area in Victoria have been scheduled for their historical significance and their strong association with a specific period in Malta’s history. These balconies, which represent a specific craft and activity, carry distinct aesthetic significance since they illustrate a certain degree of creative, technical and technological achievement while they have a strong social meaning and an important element that represents a community’s sense of place.
Mepa has categorised all the identified stone balconies in the area into four divisions. The category of balconies identified as Category Type A are those that have significantly elaborate corbels, parapet and plan. A good example of this type of balcony is the balcony in this photo. This balcony has a unique plan (corner), has triple height plain corbels and an elaborately decorated parapet. Such type of corbel also indicates the depth of the base of the balcony. Where a single height corbel could support certain depth, further corbels could enlarge the depth of the base. The method of construction of the parapet seems to consist of decorated panels built in between elaborately carved pillars located at the corners. The upper wooden part seems to be a later addition.
Mepa scheduled properties with their traditional stone balcony (types A, B and C) as a Grade 2 properties as per Government Notice number 36/11 in the Government Gazette dated January 18.