Several restoration projects are currently being undertaken at the Ta’ Liesse area in Valletta.

Resources Minister George Pullicino said that a major restoration project was on Victoria Gate. Extensive restoration was being carried out using different methods.

The project was being undertaken by the Valletta Rehabilitation Project in collaboration with the ministry’s restoration unit.

The restoration was preceded by studies to establish how the cleaning and restoration methods being used in the project should be applied.

The gate is one of three major ones in Valletta. It was originally known as Porta del Monte.

This project was embarked upon in the past days and is expected to be concluded in six months.

Restoration works on the Church of Notre Dame de Liesse were being undertaken by the Restoration Unit within his ministry.

The works, which were in an advanced stage, included the replacement of a dangerous room in the sacristy, the restoration of the dome, bell tower and facade and the replacement of aluminium apertures.

They are estimated to cost some €30,000.

Other restorations works are being carried out on the stairs of St Ursola Street and in St John’s Street by the Valletta Rehabilitation Project.

The works included opening mortar joints and re-pointing without damaging the existing hard stone.

All the broken stone was replaced with old stone which the VRP continuously collected and stored. The stone had to be cut to specific sizes before being put in place.

More restoration works were being carried out to the facade of the St Barbara Bastion,which is some 4,000 square metres. The works have been going on for the past 15 months.

Mr Pullicino said that other works were last year carried out on the façades along the steps leading down to Victory Gate from East Street. These were funded by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and were carried out by Restoration Unit staff.

The works included dry brushing the entire façade with a nylon/bristle brush to remove any loose deposits of dirt or pollution and the removal of vegetation, dead electrical cables, and ferrous objects which were of no historical importance.

The facade was cleaned with deionised water, and nylon/bristle brushes. Black crusts found underneath the cornices and other protruding elements were cleaned by poulticing.

All the open mortar joints were pointed with a lime-based mortar.