Mosta obelisk deemed ‘not historically relevant’ in today’s context

A proposed 15-meter-high obelisk in Mosta’s main square is being questioned by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage for its historical relevance in today’s urban context.

The obelisk is being proposed by the Mosta council but in its assessment the superintendence said the structure “cannot be considered historically relevant”.

The council has argued the obelisk formed part of the original design for the square by Giorgio Grognet de Vassé. However, the superintendence said the original plans related to a different pjazza configuration then there is today and must be reconsidered within the present-day context of Pjazza Rotunda.

The superintendence said it was treating the proposal not as a continuation of an original design, but as a new intervention within a sensitive historic setting. The site lies within Mosta’s Urban Conservation Area and directly opposite the Mosta Rotunda, a Grade 1 scheduled monument whose visual dominance is considered central to the square’s identity.

It warns that the obelisk’s “considerable height” would exceed surrounding buildings and could disrupt established sightlines. It also raises concern that the structure would “impede both physical and visual access” to the pjazza from Triq il-Kurat Calleja, a historically significant street contributing to the legibility of the urban fabric.

New photomontages from key viewpoints including one from the church parvis looking towards Triq il Kurat Calleja; have been requested before further assessment is carried out.  The council had already presented a set of photomontages covering other views when it had applied two years ago.

Separately, Transport Malta has raised concerns on circulation and safety, requesting clarification on pedestrian movement across the square, including how flows between surrounding streets would function alongside existing street furniture, amenities and prior planning commitments.

It has also asked for clear footpath widths and distances between the obelisk and surrounding buildings, recommending that the structure be set back from the road or protected by a crash barrier.

The superintendence’s emphasis on “historical relevance” sits within a wider conservation approach that is also reflected in international heritage doctrine. While not referenced by the authority itself, frameworks such as the Venice Charter and the Burra Charter have long taken a cautious stance towards reconstruction of elements that were never built or are only partially documented, generally favouring preservation of existing fabric over speculative completion of historic designs.

The Venice Charter, for instance, limits reconstruction to cases of complete certainty and documentary evidence, while the Burra Charter treats reconstruction as an exceptional intervention requiring strong justification and minimal conjecture.

In both cases, the emphasis is on safeguarding authenticity and the accumulated historical evolution of places rather than reintroducing unrealised historical proposals.

The Mosta project, first submitted in 2024, envisages a roughly 15-metre obelisk within the paved core of the pjazza, reviving an unbuilt element of Grognet’s original concept.

Designed by former mayor Chris Grech, the proposal was initially framed as a way of “completing” the historic vision of the square, drawing inspiration from classical precedents such as the Pantheon in Rome.

Grognet, who modelled the Mosta church on a neoclassical design inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, included an obelisk in his original plan for the square, similar to the one in front of the Pantheon.

“The obelisk was indeed part of architect Grognet’s plan for the Mosta square and was meant to feature prominently in his design. However, the plan was later shelved, and the idea of having an obelisk raised in front of the Rotunda never materialised,” Mosta mayor Joseph Gatt had told MaltaToday in 2024.