In Tritons' Fountain, how is the Damage and repair discussed?
In the decades after its construction, the fountain became a landmark due to its prominent location in Malta's main bus terminus. It was used for various events, including the Republic Day national festivities which were televised on the programme Mill-Maltin għall-Maltin. A platform was built on the fountain's sculptural group to house entertainment acts which included concerts as well as motorcycles climbing on the bronze basin over specially-constructed ramps. This greatly weakened the structure, and together with natural deterioration, it resulted in the tank mounted inside the basin failing to limit the water supported inside. This caused an excessive amount of water to remain in the platter, which strained the bronze Triton figures supporting it. One of the Tritons' arms broke on 1 March 1978, and the platter collapsed resulting in significant damage to two of the three Tritons.In 1986, the basin and damaged figures were repaired at the Malta Drydocks, and a central pillar was added to support the weight of the platter. Water no longer passed through the Tritons' arms, but through a pipe in this pillar. The fountain was functional on 1 May 1987, and repairs cost around Lm10,000. The central pillar was designed by Apap himself, even though he was against this repair work, and it was cast in bronze in Verona. These interventions have been called "inartistic" and have been widely criticized as destroying the fountain's original harmony.In the late 1990s, the fountain's water and lighting systems were refurbished by the Malta Desalination Services and the Water Works Division.Over time, further deterioration to the sculpture occurred, including corrosion and cracks in the figures. In 2017, Minister Joe Mizzi stated that the bronze figures had deteriorated to such an extent that they "would have been lost" if they had not been restored. The travertine slabs in the fountain's base also sustained substantial damage and staining over the years.
Joe Mizzi travertine Verona Malta Drydocks Lm Malta Tritons Republic Day