Republic Square, Valletta
Republic Square is a piazza in Valletta, Malta. The square was originally called Piazza Tesoreria or Piazza dei Cavallieri, since the treasury of the Order of Saint John was located in the square. After a statue of Queen Victoria was installed in the square in the 19th century, it became known as Queen's Square or Piazza Regina. Although its official name is Republic Square, it is still commonly referred to as Piazza Regina.
The façade of the Bibliotheca and the open air cafés at Republic Square
Piazza Tesoreria without any monuments, as depicted in a watercolour by Charles de Brocktorff (before 1850)
Piazza Tesoreria as a closed orchard during the Governorship of John Le Marchant, 1858-1864; photo by Francis Frith
Piazza Tesoreria with the Vilhena statue and orchard, as depicted in a 19th century photo by Giorgio Sommer
Statue of Queen Victoria, Valletta
A statue of Queen Victoria stands in front of the National Library of Malta in Republic Square, Valletta, Malta. Sculpted out of marble by the Sicilian artist Giuseppe Valenti, the statue depicts the Queen sitting down and wearing a shawl of Maltese lace. It was installed in the square on 5 August 1891, replacing a bronze statue of António Manoel de Vilhena.
The statue in 2012
The square in the early 1900s, with the statue visible at its centre
The statue and its pedestal in 2014
J.Mallia
