Category:Fontana tas-Seffud

A fountain known as "Tas-Seffud" stood in then-Piazza Fontana (Misraħ l-Assedju l-Kbir), Valletta, from 1900 till circa 1925.

"In 1900 the Public Works Dept carried out a project to address the proper flushing of drainage. This could be done since sea water could be pumped from the Electric Light Station on to Valletta through a nine inch pipe. Lorenzo Gatt, the superintendent if Public Works, on the 7th August 1900 formally proposed that a fountain be erected in the open space in front of the Courts and next to the side entrance of St John’s Cathedral. He proposed that all the sea water thus pumped and amounting to 40000 gallons daily, would pass through this fountain and form big jets and cascades. The estimate cost of £130 would be taken from the sum voted for the flushing project. This proposal was duly approved the following day by the Executive Council to Government, where it was also approved that the drinking water fountain there existing be moved to Argotti Gardens. Eventually in later years it was realised that the sea water spray was damaging the walls of the church and the fountain was removed. Presently the site is occupied by the Great Siege monument." (Vince Peresso)

"Before the Great Siege monument was erected in the early 20th century, there used to be a fountain there, which the Maltese called “Tas-Seffud”, that was fed by the cistern just beneath it." (Edward Said)

The fountain was dismantled, as water was seeping into the crypt of St John’s Co Cathedral located behind this. 1890s. The fountain is now located at Argotti Botanic Gardens in Floriana. (Louis Cardona)

There seems to have been another at Manderaggio. (Brian Restall)

Bibliography:

• Funtani fil-Belt / Fountains in Valletta, by Charles Galea Scannura. Malta. Water Works Dept. 1988.
• Subterranean Valletta, by Edward Saïd