A year ago, the conservation and restoration work on both the interior and the exterior of the dome of St George’s basilica, in Victoria came to an end.
An ambitious project was then to start: the restoration of the artistic façade of the church, which was designed by Canon Salvatore Bondì in the 18th century.
It had never been restored.
The newly-restored façade of St George’s basilica, Victoria.Following a public call, The Recoop – The Restoration and the Conservation Coop Ltd were commissioned to do the restoration work.
On October 16, 2020, the preparation work began. The entire façade and belfries of the church were covered with wooden planks, holding on iron pieces so that a professional team of restoration workers could do their job.
The scaffolding that was put in place for this project also covered the side chapels where the statues of the Immaculate Conception and St Joseph now stand.
The project also involved the restoration of the belfries.
The church’s stonework had deteriorated and, in some parts, it was also almost entirely eroded, losing its original shape and features. Some particular stones had to be replaced because they were in such a progressive state of deterioration that they simply could not be restored.
Each stone was inspected
There was a consultation process with the architects involved so that the rules of conservation would be respected as much as possible. Each and every stone that was replaced was inspected by the architect.
Some of the sculptures needed great patience and attention.
Some of the stones that could still be restored had to undergo a particular process through which they were treated chemically to stop the deterioration process.
Deposits of time and other types of dirt that had accumulated over the years were cleaned. Plaster was also added for fixing and repairing of joints.
The restoration project took place with the approval of the competent authorities, under the observation of the architects which St George’s parish had commissioned and according to the best practices of conservation.
The hardest part of the restoration project involved the western belfry of the church, the one containing the large bell.
Before the scaffolding was put in place, it was already clear that a part of the belfry overlooking the square was in dire need of restoration. Some of the upper parts of the structure had also moved from their original place.
The Porta Salutis, the upper part of the theologically-themed bronze portals installed in July 2004.Upper part of belfry rebuilt
It was decided that the upper part of the belfry leading to the pillar cornices had to be brought down and built from scratch. The applications that had to be made to the relevant authorities were filled and submitted.
One of the two new ‘clocks’ installed recently on the basilica’s façade.Every stone that was taken down was numbered. A new belt was put around the entire circumference of the upper part of the belfry in order to render it more stable. The original iron one had decomposed due to the elements and, therefore, had to be substituted with a new one, made of stainless steel, which is more durable.
New material was set in place in order to absorb the movements of the bell’s tongue; this would reduce the vibrations that affect the belfry’s structure. It was at the end of this process that the belfry’s main structure could be set in place. Most of the original stone was used again in this particular phase, together with new stones that were used to replace the ones that had deteriorated beyond measure.
It was decided that the empty circular spaces set into stone in the upper part of the façade beneath the two belfries would be used.
Local artist John Grima was chosen to work on two ‘clocks’ set in white marble with bronze pointers; these were not to show the usual time of the day but feature a higher concept of time that was to be theologically inspired. The central theme featuring the figure of Christ would represent the centre of the cosmic reality of time and space.
One of the impressive stone motifs on the basilica’s 1818 façade, showing the face of a small angel.The eastern clock would be static while that on the west would show the hour; this latter one was to have an electronic hammer installed in it. It would ring on the hour through the use of the fourth bell known as Fonza.
The new clocks were put in place on July 7.
Besides the restoration project, other works took place. The entire set of bells at the basilica were restored. These had been manufactured by the Fonderia Barigozzi of Milan, Italy, in 1925.
Their tongues were restored and a new protective system against lightning was put into place too.
On June 22, the scaffolding that had covered the façade of the eastern belfry started to be dismantled.
Eventually, the entire scaffolding was removed and the upper part of the façade could now be enjoyed in its new splendour by one and all.
As soon as the entire restoration project is finished, the illumination process will take place. This will involve a new professional illumination that would be in harmony with the newly-restored façade.
The entire project was mainly financed by the Ministry for Gozo. The illumination of the façade will also be financed by the ministry.
The coat-of-arms of Bishop Ferdinando Mattei sculpted on the central part of the façade, just above the main door.Acknowledgements
The basilica would like to thank Paul Muscat, managerial director of The Recoop – The Restoration and the Conservation Coop Ltd, and Ian Schembri, who were the persons in charge of the restoration works; Salvu Micallef, the resident architect of the basilica, together with architect Ivana Farrugia; George Galea, the quantity surveyor; John Cremona, who was involved in the tendering process; and C. Schembri Watchmakers of Victoria who were in charge of the installation of the clocks and the electronic hammer.
Special thanks go to the Ministry of Gozo and the Eco-Gozo Directorate for financing the project.
About the basilica
The parish church of St George, in Victoria was built in 1678, the first one in Gozo in the shape of a Latin cross. After various damages incurred by earthquakes that took place during the 17th century, its façade was built again with two belfries between 1816 and 1818 on a design by Canon Salvatore Bondì while the architectural works were done under the supervision of sculptors Sigismondo Dimech and his son, Ferdinando; their names are sculpted in stone on the façade itself.
The façade is one of the best examples of the baroque and neoclassical idiom of the early years of the 19th century. The coat-of-arms of Fra Ferdinando Mattei, bishop of the Maltese islands, features on the main portal of the church. In 1995, the eastern belfry was brought down and built anew. It is believed that the stones on which the façade stands go back to the Roman era.
In the 1930s, two sets of side chapels were added to the main aisle of the church, thus widening the façade; they carry on them the coat-of-arms of Bishop Michael Gonzi and Archpriest Alfons Maria Hili together with two niches containing the statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate and St Joseph. In 2004, the new bronze portals of the basilica, designed by John Grima, were blessed.