Inauguration of Wignacourt Aqueduct
- When
- 1615
- Where
- Malta
- Episodes
- 1
The Wignacourt Aqueduct, a 17th-century infrastructure project in Malta, was completed in 1614 and inaugurated on 21 April 1615. Built by the Order of Saint John to supply water to Valletta, it was partially financed by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, after whom it is named.
Episodes
Background and detail
Background. The Order of Saint John initiated the aqueduct to transport water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to the newly built capital, Valletta. Construction began under Grand Master Martin Garzez in 1596 but was suspended before resuming in 1610 under his successor, Alof de Wignacourt.
Construction. Engineer Bontadini, assisted by Maltese and Sicilian engineers, oversaw the project employing 600 local workers. The structure utilized underground pipes and arched viaducts to cross depressions. The total cost was 434,605 scudi, mostly paid by Wignacourt, with completion achieved in 1614.
Inauguration. The aqueduct was officially inaugurated on 21 April 1615. Upon completion, it supplied 1,400 cubic meters of water daily to approximately 30,000 people, serving cisterns, ships in the harbors, and public fountains in Valletta.
People involved
- Alof de Wignacourt · Grand Master who partially financed the construction
- Martin Garzez · Grand Master who initiated the first attempts in 1596
- Bontadini · Engineer assisted by Maltese and Sicilian engineers
Sources
- Wignacourt Aqueduct Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-29
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.