Birkirkara

Birkirkara
B'Kara, Birchircara,
San Ġwann tal-Għorgħar
Local council


Flag
Coat of arms
Motto: In hoc signo vinces
Coordinates: 35°53′48″N 14°27′45″E / 35.89667°N 14.46250°E / 35.89667; 14.46250Coordinates: 35°53′48″N 14°27′45″E / 35.89667°N 14.46250°E / 35.89667; 14.46250
Country  Malta
Region Central Region
District Northern Harbour District
Borders Balzan, Iklin, Lija, Msida, Qormi, San Ġwann, Santa Venera
Government
 • Mayor Joanne Debono Grech (PL)
Area
 • Total 2.7 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Elevation 40 m (130 ft)
Population (March 2014)
 • Total 22,247
 • Density 8,200/km2 (21,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Karkariż (m), Karkariża (f), Karkariżi (pl)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code BKR
Dialing code 356
ISO 3166 code MT-04
Patron saints St. Helen; St. Mary; St. Joseph the Worker; Our Lady of Mount Carmel; St. Anthony of Padova
Day of festa St. Helen August 18 (or first Sunday after date); Sunday after 15 August; May 1; First Sunday of July; First Sunday of June
Website Official website

Birkirkara or B'Kara (Italian: Birchircara; meaning: cold water or running water[1]) is a town in the Central Region of Malta. It is the most populous town on the island, with 22,247 inhabitants as of March 2014.[2] The city consists of four autonomous parishes: St Helen, St Joseph, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Mary. It also houses the St Aloysius' College. Birkirkara is the home town of President Emeritus Edward Fenech Adami, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant and the birthplace of the first president of Malta Anthony Mamo. The city's motto is In hoc signo vinces, and its coat of arms is a plain red cross, surmounted by a crown. It is the hometown of Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 winner Destiny Chukunyere.

Description

The Birchircara Old Railway Station

There are many places of interest in Birkirkara, amongst them the Old Railway Station which is today located within a public garden. Trains were used as means of transportation across the island until the Railway's closure happened in 1931. Other town features include the Wignacourt Aqueduct built in the 17th Century, and St Helen's Basilica, housing Malta's largest church bell. Birkirkara is one of Malta's oldest towns and received mention in the 1436 Ecclesiastical Report mentioning the then existing parishes in Malta and Gozo, from which Birkirkara emerged as the largest parish. Various parishes and suburbs developed out of Birkirkara over the years, including Sliema, St. Julian's, Msida, Ħamrun in the 19th century and Santa Venera in the early 20th century. In more recent years, San Ġwann (1965) and the hamlet of Ta' l-Ibraġ hived off Birkirkara to form part of the new parish and locality of Swieqi in 1993.

Wejter Valley in Birkirkara

Birkirkara's main religious feast is that of St Helen which is celebrated on 18 August if it falls on a Sunday, or on the first Sunday after that date. The main event of the celebration is a procession with a large wooden statue carved by the Maltese master-sculptor Salvu Psaila. Notably, this is the only procession (with a titular statue) on the island carried out in the morning. The procession leaves the basilica at exactly 8:00 a.m. and returns to it at 10:45 a.m. The statue is lifted to shoulder-height by a group of townsmen and is carried through the main streets of the town.

Birkirkara has grown into an important commercial centre as well as a densely populated residential area.

Climate

In Birkirkara, the temperature varies from 10.3 to 30.7 °C (50.5 to 87.3 °F) during a year.[3]

Birkirkara[3]
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
225
 
 
15
10
 
 
150
 
 
15
10
 
 
100
 
 
17
12
 
 
80
 
 
19
13
 
 
50
 
 
23
16
 
 
0
 
 
27
20
 
 
0
 
 
29
22
 
 
15
 
 
31
24
 
 
80
 
 
28
22
 
 
200
 
 
25
19
 
 
170
 
 
20
15
 
 
200
 
 
17
12
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm

Birkirkara Local Council

Tal-Wejter Tower, former defence on the valley

The current Birkirkara local council members are:

Birkirkara Community Service

Niche of All Souls[4] close to St. Mary Church (Old Church) is a Maltese cultural heritage niche

Zones in Birkirkara

Mrieħel

Sport

Birkirkara is known for its football club, Birkirkara F.C., who won the Maltese Premier League four times.

References

  1. ↑ Abela, Giovanni Francesco (1647). Della Descrizione di Malta Isola nel Mare Siciliano con le sue Antichità, ed Altre Notizie (in Italian). Paolo Bonacota. p. 90.
  2. ↑ "Estimated Population by Locality 31st March, 2014". Government of Malta. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Birkirkara climate and weather". world 66. world66.com. 10 June 2013.
  4. ↑ http://www.culturalheritage.gov.mt/filebank/inventory/Chapels%20and%20Niches/00290.pdf

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Birkirkara.
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