GRIGALATA

The Gregale, known as Grigal in Maltese, is a strong, cooling wind that blows from the northeast over the Mediterranean Sea. It begins near the Ionian Islands in Greece, particularly around Zakynthos. Because of its Greek origin, the Italians call it the ‘Greek Wind’, which is how it got its name. In Maltese, the wind is also called Riħ Barra. For centuries, seamen and fishermen have feared the Grigal, choosing to stay in port repairing their nets instead of risking the rough seas it creates.

One of the Grigal’s most dramatic showdowns happened in 1851. Major W. Porter wrote about how the waves the wind whipped up in Malta’s Grand Harbour were so powerful that they knocked down parts of Fort St Angelo’s walls. Massive chunks of stone were torn from the fort’s bastions and thrown meters away. Robert Attard, in his book Malta: A Collection of Tales and Narratives, compared the damage to the devastation caused by the ‘most powerful cannonade’.

Maltese Compass. Source: L-Imgħoddi, Facebook Page

Grigal in the Grand Harbour. Source: Terri Caselli

Nearly 200 years later, in February 2023, the Grigal struck again. Between Thursday, February 9th, and Friday, February 10th, a fierce storm hit the Cottonera area quite on the other side of Fort St Angelo.

The storm destroyed part of the boundary wall at Heritage Malta’s Headquarters in Bighi, Kalkara, causing it to collapse into the sea. This area of the Grand Harbour faces the full force of the Grigal year after year. Over time, the cliffs beneath the wall were worn down by wind and waves until they finally gave way during the storm.

The collapsed boundary wall. Source: Times of Malta

Aerial view of Heritage Malta Headquarters and Conservation Laboratories, Kalkara

After the collapse, a team of architects and engineers from Heritage Malta quickly investigated the damage. Using drones, laser scanning, and photogrammetry, they assessed how much of the cliff face and wall had been lost. These tools allowed them to safely study the area without getting too close to the rocks and periphery wall above which were still in danger of falling.

The team compared the new drone footage with a 3D model of the site created a few years earlier. This ‘before and after’ comparison provided crucial details to help them rebuild the wall as accurately as possible. The first priority was to make sure the remaining wall was stable and prevent future collapses.

Work has already begun to build a strong foundation for the historic wall. This is part of a larger project to restore and improve Heritage Malta’s offices at Bighi. These buildings, have a long history. The central structure, now occupied by the Malta Council for Science and Technology, was originally a villa built by Fra Giovanni Bichi, a Knight of the Order of St John in 1675. Later, it was incorporated into the British Royal Naval Hospital, two wings of which today house the Heritage Malta headquarters and conservation labs.

Heritage Malta’s efforts, including the use of modern technology to document and understand the sites entrusted to its care, ensure that Malta’s cultural heritage is preserved for future generations.

Villa Bighi

Written with reference to:

‘Malta, a Collection of Tales and Narratives’ By Robert Attard (Illustrations by Kenneth Zammit Tabona). The Edward De Bono Foundation, Malta, 2001
Watch the damage sustained here: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageMalta/videos/894411335216207
Watch the many incarnations of Villa Bighi here: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageMalta/videos/754560079247610