Balzan

Balzan, a typical Maltese village in central Malta

Balzan is located in central Malta sharing a border with Attard, Lija and Birkirkara. It is a small community of around 3,869 inhabitants. Originally, the village originally consisted of a group of small dwellings but it grew to a parish in the 17th century.

The village was named after Maximillian Balzan, a Spanish merchant who settled in Malta in 1567. He was granted an area of land (that later became the village of Balzan) for services done to Knights of the Order of St John. The orange trees in Balzan were imported by Maximillian from Granada, Spain.

Balzan is a typical Maltese village, where one finds several historical buildings with beautiful architecture where important people used to reside. One such building is found in Three Churches Street, it is the old residence of Vincenzo Bosio, an officer of the Knights of St. John. There is Palazzo Antonio in Providence Street, and Casa Borg, found in Pope Pius Alexander Street.

Balzan: Things to do and see

Balzan Parish Church: The parish church, dedicated to the Annunciation of Our Lady, was built in the mid-17th century. The church is built in a Tuscan style in the form of a Latin cross, has one belfry and an elegant dome that can be seen throughout the village. The village feast is celebrated every second week of July. The architectural plans for this church began in 1669, and the first building stone was laid in the same year. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Annunciation and the Balzan Parish Church holds many famous paintings, such as the works of Emvin Cremona and Giuseppe Calleja.

Statues of Gabriel and Our Lady: The two statues can be found at the entrance of the Balzan Parish Church. They are works created by the sculptor Sigismondo Dimech.

Statues of St Peter and St Paul: The two statues can also be found in the parish church and have been a part of the vestibule since the 18th Century.

Statue of Maria Assunta: The statue of our lady can be found at the front of the church, dedicated to Maria Assunta. It was made in 1838 by the Maltese sculptor Sigismondo Dimech. Balzan Local Council carried out conservation and restoration works on the statue in 2003.

The Aqueduct: The aqueduct was built in 1610 by Grand Master Wignacourt and was used to bring water from Rabat to Valletta. A large section of the 16-km (10-mile) can still be seen in Balzan area.