How does Lion Fountain (Floriana) elucidate its History?
The Lion Fountain was built in 1728 by Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, according to a commemorative inscription on the fountain itself. It was installed shortly after Vilhena had declared Floriana a suburb of Valletta. It was supplied by water from the Wignacourt Aqueduct, and for many years it was the only source of water for the area's inhabitants.During World War II, in order to prevent it from being damaged from aerial bombardment, the lion sculpture was moved to a nearby arcade and it was encased in stone. After the war it was temporarily stored in a nearby garage. The fountain itself was removed in 1956 while St Anne Square was being realigned. In 1958, the fountain was reconstructed a few metres away from its original location, and the lion was reinstalled on the night of 31 December 1958 to 1 January 1959.The fountain was included in the 1932 Antiquities Protection List, and on 22 December 2009 it was scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
Malta Lion Valletta António Manoel de Vilhena Malta Environment and Planning Authority Wignacourt Aqueduct Floriana World War II