Valletta cisterns

In response to the letter by Frans H. Said (January 15), I would like to point out that there are in fact three (known) subterranean water reservoirs in the vicinity of St John's. Two underlie the pavement and parvis on St John's Square while the third is located beneath Great Siege Square, opposite the Law Courts.

This last one is by far the largest and forms part of the extensive air-raid shelter that Mr Said describes. In fact the tunnels of this refuge which run approximately three storeys below street level stretch below most of upper Merchants Street, St Lucy Street and parts of St Paul and St Ursula Street.

Coming back to the reservoirs, there is ample proof to suggest that these were created in the very early months of Valletta's construction under the explicit instructions of Francesco Laparelli himself. In fact they formed part of a series of public water reservoirs strategically located around the city, many of which are thankfully still extant today.

I recently carried out extensive research on the subterranean spaces of Valletta and was able to investigate these particular reservoirs thanks to the Valletta Rehabilitation Project. Under the meticulous guidance of its coordinator Ray Bondin, the project is ensuring adequate documentation and preservation of these obscure yet magnificent historic spaces.