Set the scene.
Between 1610 and 1615, Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt built an aqueduct to bring spring water from the Dingli and Rabat area towards Valletta. The system used gravity to move water.
Here’s the twist.
The project included inspection towers at Santa Venera, Ħamrun and Floriana. Ħamrun’s cylindrical tower helped people inspect the flow and allowed air trapped in the pipes to escape.
Why it still matters.
An aqueduct is more than its photogenic arches. Pipes, changes in height and maintenance points all matter. Next time you see a surviving piece, imagine the rest of the network connecting it to the city.
FACT OR MYTH? 🤔Every aqueduct is simply a row of arches.Tap to reveal ↓
Myth. A functioning water system also needs channels or pipes and ways to inspect and maintain the flow.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.