La Borsa

La Borsa

View of La Borsa
Alternative names Exchange Buildings
General information
Architectural style Neoclassical and rococo
Location Valletta, Malta
Coordinates 35°53′57.76″N 14°30′52.46″E / 35.8993778°N 14.5145722°E / 35.8993778; 14.5145722
Completed March 1857
Design and construction
Architect Giuseppe Bonavia

La Borsa, also known as the Exchange Buildings, is a 19th-century building in Valletta, Malta, which houses The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.[1]

The site of La Borsa was originally occupied by a house which belonged to the Priory of Castile. In 1853, the house was handed over to The Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, which had been formed in 1848. It was demolished to make way for new premises which were designed by the Maltese architect Giuseppe Bonavia.[2] Works were undertaken by the contractor Michelangelo Azzopardi, and the building was inaugurated in March 1857.[3] Some features within the building include the Lewis Farrugia Courtyard, Sir Agostino Portelli Hall, the Aula Conciliaris (Council Room), the Banif Lecture Hall and the BOV Meeting Room.[4]

It is scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.[5]

Architecture

La Borsa was built in the neoclassical and rococo architectural styles. Its design contrasts with Valletta's traditional architecture. Its façade has an imposing symmetrical colonnade in the Ionic order. It has two floors above street level and an underground level. Overall, the building's design is rather simple but elegant at the same time.[5]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to La Borsa (Valletta).
  1. "Historical Context". The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015.
  2. Bugeja, Lino (4 January 2015). "Valletta – vibrant city of many styles". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015.
  3. Denaro, Victor F. (1959). "Houses in Kingsway and Old Bakery Street, Valletta". Melita Historica 2 (4): 206–207.
  4. "Facilities". The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015.
  5. 1 2 "One World: Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Valletta (16)". Times of Malta. 26 June 2008. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015.
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