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Attard
Attard (Maltese: Ħ'Attard) is a locality in the Northern Region of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija, it forms part of the "Three Villages" (Maltese: It-Tliet Irħula) and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. It has a population of 12,268 as of 2021. Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo ("I perfume the air with my blossoms") due to its many flower gardens and citrus orchards. Attard is abundant in public gardens. The inhabitants of Attard are known as saraċini.
The name of 'Attard' is thought to have been derived from a surname assumed to belong to the first person who lived there. It is unclear what the word 'Attard' means. Some say it means blossoms as the word 'Attar' means fresh oil of the flowers or from the Arabic 'Atr', meaning perfume.
Another derivation for the surname is the Italian town of "Atti" in Bologna.
A few maps from the 1600s also show Attard listed as 'C. Attardo', which might show where the village name derives from.
The prefix Ħ' is a contraction of the word Ħal, itself a contraction of raħal (transl. village).
As a municipality with its own local government structure since 1994, Attard covers a surface area of about seven square kilometers. Its population, including the modern estate of Misraħ Kola and surrounding environs, is around 10,000. It comprises to its North, facing the city of Mdina, the flat expanse called Ta' Qali. Beneath it the area known as Tal-Idward joins with Misraħ Kola, across from Wied San Martin (St Martin's Valley), Wied Inċita (Valley of Instigation) and Wied Irmiedi (Valley of Ashes), on the Żebbuġ side.
Its western front is bordered by Wied is-Sewda (Black Valley), on the Qormi side. To its east, up to Tal-Mirakli (of the Miracles) chapel on the Lija side, is a large zone called Ta' Fġieni bordering the village core and the 17th-century Parish Church of St. Mary at its centre, built by architect Tommaso Dingli. Dingli, born and bred in Attard, is best known for his work on the Wignacourt Aqueduct, Porta Reale (the entrance into Valletta) and several churches. Of these, only Attard's parish church (with its idiosyncratic façade) and the old parish church of Birkirkara remain unaltered. South of the village core is the Sant'Anton Quarter, named for San Anton Palace and the palace's botanic gardens, both built by the Knights between around 1600 and 1625. It is now the official residence of the president of Malta and has long been a symbol of Attard.
During the 1980s Attard experienced a boost in development, reflected in the large-scale construction surrounding the village center. However the area surrounding the church and the Sant'Anton Quarter features a number of converted farmhouses (recognizable through their wooden doors and flat, rustic roofs) and residences built by the Knights of St John, surrounding the summer palace. Attard is also the location of the St Catherine Nursing Home, one of the largest in the Maltese Islands. The Attard Primary School serves as a polling station during elections and like all other localities in Malta, Attard Local Council elections are held every three years.
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Attard
Attard (Maltese: Ħ'Attard) is a locality in the Northern Region of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija, it forms part of the "Three Villages" (Maltese: It-Tliet Irħula) and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. It has a population of 12,268 as of 2021. Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo ("I perfume the air with my blossoms") due to its many flower gardens and citrus orchards. Attard is abundant in public gardens. The inhabitants of Attard are known as saraċini.
The name of 'Attard' is thought to have been derived from a surname assumed to belong to the first person who lived there. It is unclear what the word 'Attard' means. Some say it means blossoms as the word 'Attar' means fresh oil of the flowers or from the Arabic 'Atr', meaning perfume.
Another derivation for the surname is the Italian town of "Atti" in Bologna.
A few maps from the 1600s also show Attard listed as 'C. Attardo', which might show where the village name derives from.
The prefix Ħ' is a contraction of the word Ħal, itself a contraction of raħal (transl. village).
As a municipality with its own local government structure since 1994, Attard covers a surface area of about seven square kilometers. Its population, including the modern estate of Misraħ Kola and surrounding environs, is around 10,000. It comprises to its North, facing the city of Mdina, the flat expanse called Ta' Qali. Beneath it the area known as Tal-Idward joins with Misraħ Kola, across from Wied San Martin (St Martin's Valley), Wied Inċita (Valley of Instigation) and Wied Irmiedi (Valley of Ashes), on the Żebbuġ side.
Its western front is bordered by Wied is-Sewda (Black Valley), on the Qormi side. To its east, up to Tal-Mirakli (of the Miracles) chapel on the Lija side, is a large zone called Ta' Fġieni bordering the village core and the 17th-century Parish Church of St. Mary at its centre, built by architect Tommaso Dingli. Dingli, born and bred in Attard, is best known for his work on the Wignacourt Aqueduct, Porta Reale (the entrance into Valletta) and several churches. Of these, only Attard's parish church (with its idiosyncratic façade) and the old parish church of Birkirkara remain unaltered. South of the village core is the Sant'Anton Quarter, named for San Anton Palace and the palace's botanic gardens, both built by the Knights between around 1600 and 1625. It is now the official residence of the president of Malta and has long been a symbol of Attard.
During the 1980s Attard experienced a boost in development, reflected in the large-scale construction surrounding the village center. However the area surrounding the church and the Sant'Anton Quarter features a number of converted farmhouses (recognizable through their wooden doors and flat, rustic roofs) and residences built by the Knights of St John, surrounding the summer palace. Attard is also the location of the St Catherine Nursing Home, one of the largest in the Maltese Islands. The Attard Primary School serves as a polling station during elections and like all other localities in Malta, Attard Local Council elections are held every three years.