Bakery of the Order of St. John
| Bakery | |
|---|---|
| Forni della Signoria | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Bakehouse |
| Location | Valletta, Malta |
| Coordinates | 35°53′53″N 14°30′39″E / 35.89806°N 14.51083°ECoordinates: 35°53′53″N 14°30′39″E / 35.89806°N 14.51083°E |
| Completed | c. 1584 |
| Demolished | 1930s |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Limestone |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Girolamo Cassar |
The bakery of the Order, also known as the Forni della Signoria, was a bakehouse in Valletta, Malta. It was established in around 1584, and it produced bread for the inhabitants of Valletta and the surrounding area, as well as for the Order's garrison and navy.
It remained in use by the French and later the British militaries until a new Royal Naval Bakery was opened in Birgu in 1845. The bakery was subsequently converted into stores, before falling into disrepair. The building was demolished in the 1930s to make way for Vincenti Buildings. The bakery gave its name to Old Bakery Street, one of the main streets of Valletta.
History
The Order's bakery was built in around 1584, during the magistracy of Grand Master Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle, on the site of some smaller bakeries which had existed since the 1570s. The building's design is attributed to the Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar, who also designed many other buildings in Valletta.[1] The bakery produced most of the bread for the inhabitants of Valletta and Floriana, as well as for the Order's hospital, prison, galleys and garrison.[2]
During the French occupation of Malta, the bakery was used to produce bread for the French garrison, and it was heavily guarded during the blockade of 1798–1800.[4] At this point, the street where the bakery was located, originally called Strada San Giovanni Battista, was renamed Rue des Fours after the bakery. It was later known as Strada Forni in Italian during the early British period, and since 1926 it has been called Old Bakery Street. It is known as Triq il-Fran or Triq l-Ifran in Maltese, but it is still commonly called Strada Forni by Valletta residents.[5]
The bakery remained in use throughout the early 19th century, supplying bread to the British military. It fell out of use when the Royal Naval Bakery was opened in Birgu in 1845. It was initially used as stores, but the building fell into a state of disrepair. An English boy is said to have died when part of the building collapsed while he was playing there.[6]
In the mid-1930s, the former bakery was purchased by the architect Gustavo R. Vincenti. The complex was demolished, and it was replaced by an Art Nouveau office and residential block known as Vincenti Buildings after its architect.[1]
In March 2010, Enemalta workers uncovered remains of the bakery's foundations during paving works in Strait Street.[1] The remains consisted of sections of a wall up to four courses high and laid on bedrock.[4]
A detailed wooden model of the bakery, probably dating back to the British period, is found at the Heritage Malta reserve collection at the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu.[6]
Architecture
The bakery of the Order was located on a city block bordered by Old Bakery, Melita, St. John and Strait Streets.[1] Its main façade was in Old Bakery Street facing the Church of St. Augustine,[2] and it consisted of a central bay with two sloped roofs, with three-storey high sections on either side. The façade contained the two main doorways, but there were other entrances in Strait Street.[6]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Foundations of knights' bakery believed found in Strait Street". Times of Malta. 17 March 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016.
- 1 2 Denaro, Victor F. (1959). "Houses in Kingsway and Old Bakery Street, Valletta" (PDF). Melita Historica. Malta Historical Society. 2 (4): 210. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2016.
- ↑ The historical guide to the island of Malta and its dependencies. p. 51
- 1 2 "Wall unearthed in Valletta 'could be' foundations of Knights' bakery". Times of Malta. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 18 July 2016.
- ↑ Chetcuti, Kristina (1 June 2015). "Where the streets have four names". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016.
- 1 2 3 Darmanin, Denis (25 January 2015). "The bakeries in Valletta of the Order of the Knights of St John". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016.
