Birkirkara (abbreviated as B'Kara or BKR) is a city in the eastern region of Malta. It is the second most populous on the island, with 24,356 inhabitants as of 2020.[2] The town consists of five autonomous parishes: Saint Helen,[3] Saint Joseph the Worker,[4] Our Lady of Mount Carmel,[5]Saint Mary[6] and San Gorg Preca.[7] The city's motto is In hoc signo vinces, and its coat of arms is a plain red cross, surmounted by a crown.
Etymology
Valley road, c. 1900
Birkirkara means "cold water" or "running water".[8] This is attributed to the valley in the town.[9]
Originally, the name was written as Birchircara, as influenced by Italian spelling which traditionally does not use the letter 'K'. It is often abbreviated as B'kara/Kara.
Geography
Birkirkara is situated in a valley, which is most likely where it gets its name from. It is known for flooding on heavy stormy days.[10] Several projects have been proposed.[11] The area has also received embellishment works from time to time.[12]
Climate
Birkirkara features a Csa Mediterranean climate under the Köppen climate classification. Birkirkara features mild, wet winters and dry hot summers. The city's temperature varies from 10.3 to 30.7 °C (50.5 to 87.3 °F) during the course of a year.[13]
Birkirkara is one of Malta's oldest towns with a recorded mention in 1402 with The Cappella of Birkarkam which is understood to be an error for Birkirkara.[14] It received mention in the 1436 Ecclesiastical Report mentioning the then existing parishes in Malta and Gozo, from which Birkirkara emerged as the largest parish.[15] 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 Ta' l-Ibraġ hived off Birkirkara to form part of the new parish and locality of Swieqi in 1993.
Birkirkara has grown into an important commercial centre as well as a densely populated residential area.
The Old Birkirkara Railway Station[22] which is today located within a public garden is one such place. Malta Railway trains used as means of transportation across the island stopped at this Station. The Railway was closed in 1931.
Birkirkara's main religious feast is that of St Helen[24] at St. Helen's Basilica, which is celebrated on 18 August or on the first Sunday after that date.[25] The main event of the celebration is a procession with a wooden statue carved by the Maltese master-sculptor Salvu Psaila.[26] Notably, this is the only procession 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 am. The statue is lifted to shoulder-height by a group of townsmen through the main streets of the town.[27]
The Church of St Paul B'kara had a previous building on the same site likely to date back to around 1538.[citation needed] Its design was medieval with a slanting roof. The present building known as 'San Pawl tal-Wied' was built in 1852 to 1854 on plans drawn up by Giuseppe Bonavia who was an architect with the Royal Engineers. The clock of the church was made by Michelangelo Sapiano in 1891. The titular painting by Giuseppe Calleja is a reproduction of the original found in the Tre Fontane Church in Rome.[28]
The Church of Our Lady of Victories[29] is a small church found within the narrow streets in the area known as 'Has-Sajjied'. This church was known to have existed as far back as 1575.[citation needed] In the 17th century when the parish church was being built, this church was dismantled to allow easy access to the quarry that was supplying the stones needed. It was erected once again after the 1675–1676 Malta plague epidemic. The present church was built between 1728 and 1736 in the Baroque style. The internal pilasters follow the Tuscan style with the dome featuring floral motifs and emblems of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.[28]
^ abCassar, George (2019). A Taste of the History, Culture and Environment of the Central Region of Malta. Malta: Kite Group Malta. p. 29. ISBN978-99957-50-68-8.
