Triton Fountain (Malta)

The Triton Fountain is the central feature in City Gate Square, Valletta, capital of the Mediterranean island of Malta. This square also serves as the island's central bus terminus. The fountain was sculpted by local sculptor Vincent Apap in 1959. To the southside of the fountain is the Malta Memorial, a commemorative monument for the 2,298 Commonwealth aircrew who lost their lives in the various Second World War air battles and engagements around the Mediterranean, and who were left unburied.

The fountain is part of the central axis that extends from the glacis outside St James Bastion, its spur and garden in Floriana, through the Mall and Independence monument, Christ the King monument and embellishment, the Triton Fountain, City Gate and Bridge, Republic Street and down to the Spur at St Elmo; the concept on which the Renaissance-Baroque capital was built.

The Triton Fountain was first installed in its present location to decorate the bus terminus that is located at the entrance to the city, in place of the original fortifications and ramparts that were removed to make way for transport infrastructure. In 1978, the plate on top of the fountain was damaged, after music festivals were organized on top of the fountain. The same fountain was left in a dilapidated state until 1987.

On April 30, 2011, without any consultation with the public, the arts community and NGOs, the Government of Malta announced that it was moving the fountain from its present location in front of the entrance to the capital city Valletta. The Minister for Transport Dr. Austin Gatt declared that the fountain had to be moved a few metres in order to create an open space that will complement the new city gate project designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano. Piano had made the recommendation to shift the Triton Fountain away from Valletta’s entrance to restore “the architectural and historical context of the entrance to the fortified city”.

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