The gateway to Valletta, the gateway to a nation

Abstract

History of architecture, in addition to providing an understanding of the physical, functional and aesthetic evolution of form, has the capacity to expose the relationship between architecture and the socio-political development of a nation. In an attempt to delve deeper into the significance of Valletta's main gateway (better known as 'City Gate'), as the gateway to the Maltese Nation, this study documents the historical flux of the site and analyses it in the context of the socio-political history of Malta. Based chiefly on primary sources, many untapped to date, the site's dynamic history was mapped out in detail from its initial form to the present day. With the sustenance of literature from other disciplines, including anthropology and sociology, an attempt was made to reveal the copulation between the gateway's temporal transformations which ran in parallel with the shifting political consciousness of the Maltese nation. This dissertation matures into a cross-disciplinary anthology of plans, maps, documents, governmental and military correspondence, reports, media clippings, journal articles and other literature, which amalgamate to construct a multi-faceted interpretation Valletta's main gateway. A gateway to the city, and a gateway to the nation.