LOWER BARRACCA GARDENS

Located on the waterfront above Grand Harbour, these gardens are colored by dozens of hibiscus that bloom in summer. While they may not offer as impressive a view as the one enjoyed from the Upper Barraca Gardens, they do offer a beautiful panorama. All this in a more family atmosphere where you don't have to struggle to sit on the right bench. The neo-classical monument in the form of a Greek temple dedicated to the vice-admiral, Alexander Ball, an Englishman sent by Admiral Nelson to organise the Maltese insurrection against the French in 1798 and which gives its name to the main artery of the posh Paceville district of Saint Julian's. Raised after Ball's death in 1809 and restored during the 19th century, it is the work of the Maltese artists Giorgio Pullicino and Salvatore Dimenech. During the visit you will also note the sculpture by Antonio Sciortino commemorating the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, the fountain, the well-kept hedges, the many cats and the various commemorative plaques on the terrace such as the one referring to the fiftieth anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Not far away is the most modern building, the Siege Bell Memorial, inaugurated in 1992 by Elizabeth II to honour the courage of the Maltese people during the Second World War. From these gardens you can see the former Bighi Hospital and Fort Ricasoli.