Qormi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Qormi | |
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 Coat of arms |
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Motto: Altior ab Imo |
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| Official name: | Ħal-Qormi |
| Inhabitants' name: | Qormi (m), Qormija (f), Qriema (pl), Qormin (pl) |
| Other names: | Città Pinto, Casal Fornaro, Casal Curmi (code: QRM) |
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| Latitude: | 35°52 '46" N |
| Longitude: | 14°28 '20" E |
| Area: | 5.0km² |
| Population total: | 16,559 (3rd largest locality) |
| Population density: | 3,292/km² |
| Borders: | Luqa, Marsa, Ħamrun, Żebbuġ, Birkirkara, Attard, Santa Venera, Balzan, Siġġiewi |
| Patron saint: | St. George; St. Sebastian |
| Day of festa: | St. George (4th Sunday of June); St. Sebastian (in July) |
| Mayor: | Jesmond Aquilina (MLP) |
| Website: | qormi.gov.mt |
Qormi (pronounced 'Or'mee, Maltese: Ħal Qormi) is a city in Malta with a population of 16,576 (as of November 2005), which makes it the third largest locality in Malta. It has the title of Città Pinto. The town is located southwest of Valletta, in the centre of Malta.
The bordering towns of Qormi are Marsa, Luqa, Żebbuġ, Siġġiewi, Ħamrun, Birkirkara, Attard, Santa Venera and Balzan.
[edit] History
Thanks to its proximity to the Grand Harbour and its central position Qormi has a long history. There are indications of it being inhabited during the Neolithic Age although the evidence is limited. The first written reference to the town is made in 1417 where it is recorded that the town provided some 100 men to serve in the Dejma, the national guard[1].
The town is likely to have suffered a period of decline during the Great Siege of Malta due to the proximity of the Turkish camp in Marsa.
When Mons. Pietro Dusina, Malta's first Inquisitor and Apostolic Delegate wrote his report of 1575 he records Qormi as being one of the active parishes administering a large area which today includes Ħamrun and even Valletta. The present St George Parish church was completed in 1684[2]
In 1743 the town made a plea to Grandmaster Emanoel Pinto de Fonseca to elevate it to the level of a "city". This was granted and the town received the title of Città Pinto on 25 May 1743[3].
[edit] Governance
Local governance existed during the French occupation of Malta (1798-1800) however this was a limited and short-lived experiment. It was only in the 1990s that local councils were introduced in Malta with the first local council elections in Qormi taking place in 1994. Subsequent elections took place in 1998, 2001[4], 2004[5] and 2007[6].
[edit] Mayors
The following served as Qormi mayors:
- George Portelli (Independent): 1994-97
- Alfred Mallia (Independent): 1997-98
- Clyde Puli (Nationalist Party): 1998-2001
- Roderick Galdes (Malta Labour Party): 2001-2004
- Jesmond Aquilina (Malta Labour Party): since 2004
Two mayors, Clyde Puli and Roderick Galdes, went on to serve as MPs in the House of Representatives of Malta with their respective parties representing the electoral district Qormi forms part of, with Puli being appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport.
[edit] Culture
[edit] Cuisine
Malta's staple food is bread and Maltese bread is very much sought after. Qormi is recognized nationally as the capital of Maltese bread-making. It boasts the largest number of bakeries in the country, several of which still operate in the traditional manner using wood-fired ovens.
Qormi also holds a annual Bread Festival.
[edit] Religious
Qormi has two patron saints which are Saint George and Saint Sebastian.
Qormi is divided into two parishes dedicated to these two saints. The original parish was that of Saint George. The parish of Saint Sebastian was created in 1936 after being made into a subsidiary parish in 1918[7]. The origins of this parish go back to a statue to the saint erected as an act of thanksgiving for deliverance during the plague of 1813 and a small church built in 1880[8]. For two weeks in summer, the town celebrates the feasts of its saints.
The town is also known for its Good Friday procession from the church of Saint George which features a number of life-size statues and over 500 participants.
[edit] Band clubs
- Pinto Philharmonic Society, St. Sebastian Band (Is-Soċjetà Filarmonika Pinto, Banda San Sebastjan)—founded in 1862, apart from being the first band club in Qormi it is also one of the earliest Maltese band clubs, originally in the Saint George parish but later moved to the Saint Sebastian parish due to the parish limits.
- St. George's Band Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali San Ġorġ Martri)
- Anici Band & Social Club (L-Għaqda Mużikali u Soċjali Aniċi)—founded in 1988 in the Saint George parish [9].
[edit] Media
- Qormi has its own community radio station "Bastjanizi FM", broadcasting on 95FM 24hrs a day. The website of Bastjanizi FM features live streaming. This community radio was founded by the four active feast organisations of St. Sebastian—St. Sebastian Firework factory, Ghaqda Armar, Kummisjoni Zghazagh bastjanizi and St. Sebastian Band.
- The only newspaper is a quarterly issue by the Local Council named "Id-Dielja" (The Grapevine), referring to the concentration of vineyards in the old times;
- Qormi was the first Maltese locality to have an IRC channel, #Qormi.[citation needed]
[edit] Sports
- Qormi is home to Qormi FC, the football team of the town, playing in yellow and black. The team was promoted to the Maltese Premier League in 2008.
- Qormi is also home to the Qormi Basketball Club, which was established in 1995.
- Qormi Hockey Club represents the town in the National Hockey Leagues both in the junior and senior categories.
[edit] Schools
[edit] Kindergarten
- Ġużé Galea Kindergarten, San Ġorġ
- Ġużé Muscat Azzopardi Kindergarten, San Bastjan
- St Joseph School (Private Independent School) - Żbandola Street, Qormi
[edit] Primary
- Ġużé Galea Primary School, San Ġorġ
- Ġużé Muscat Azzopardi Primary (A,B), San Bastjan
- St Joseph School (Private Independent School) - Żbandola Street, Qormi
[edit] Secondary
- Liceo Vassalli Junior Lyceum, Tal-Ħandaq
- Ġużé Galea Area Secondary, San Ġorġ
- St. Michael's (Church) School, Limits of Qormi
[edit] Notable people
- George Abela - Politician, Ex-Chairman of the Malta Football Association
- Marie Louise Coleiro Preca - Member of Parliament
- John Dalli - Minister for Social Policy
- Clyde Puli - Previous Mayor and current Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport
- Roderick Galdes - Previous Mayor and Member of Parliament
- Etienne Barbara - International footballer
[edit] References
- ^ Citta Pinto Site
- ^ The Official Tourism Site for Malta, Gozo and Comino : What to See & Do : Island Attractions : Towns and Villages : Villages : Malta Villages : :Qormi
- ^ Citta Pinto Site
- ^ Department of Information
- ^ Department of Information
- ^ Department of Information
- ^ http://www.maltachurch.org.mt/Parish/Qormi_SanBastjan.htm
- ^ http://www.maltachurch.org.mt/Parish/Qormi_SanBastjan.htm
- ^ Storja - Anici Band Club
- W&R Chambers Limited and Cambridge University Press, Chambers World Gazetteer: an A-Z of Geographical Information, 5th edition, 1988, page 528
- Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman's Yearbook: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World 2005, Palgrave Macmillan, page 1113
[edit] External links
- Qormi Local Council
- Maltese Government page on Qormi local council
- St George's Band Club—Youth Commission
- cittapinto.com
- Anici Band Club Official Website
- Site on Good Friday procession
- Qormi Hockey Club
- The St. Sebastian Youth Commission
- Qormi Basketball Club
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