Attard

Settled since the Classical Period, Attard forms part of what are known as the Three Villages, along with Balzan and Lija, in the central region of Malta. Ħ’Attard, as it’s known in Maltese, is likely to have derived its name from its first inhabitant’s surname, though there is debate as to whether it literally means “flower oil” (attar) or “perfume” (atr), both words being of Arabic origin. Another theory is that it derives from Atti, a town in northern Italy. Saraċini are what Attard inhabitants are known as, which is Maltese for Saracens, the word used by Medieval Europe to describe initially Arabs, and eventually Muslims. Attard has had its own local government since 1994 and is twinned with Élancourt in France and Pieve Emanuele in Italy.

Attard’s zones

Though spanning only 7sqm, Attard comprises 17 zones, one of which – Ta’ Qali – has 8 subzones of its own. Some other notable zones include the modern estate of Misraħ Kola, the areas of Tal-Idward and Ta’ Fġieni (the latter of which borders the village core), the Black Valley (which borders Qormi), the Valley of Instigation, and the Valley of Ashes (which borders Żebbuġ).

San Anton Quarter

Attard’s abundance of flower gardens and citrus orchards gave rise to its motto: “Florigera rosis halo”, Latin for “I perfume the air with my blossoms”. Nowhere does this ring truer than at San Anton Palace’s botanic gardens, after which this area in the south of Attard is named. Both the palace and its gorgeous gardens, the former of which serves as Malta’s president’s official residence, were built in the first quarter of the 17th century by the Knights Hospitaller, and are synonymous with Ħ’Attard. Grandmasters of the Knights Hospitaller along with monarchs from Romania, Russia, Great Britain, and France, are just some of the palace’s many visitors over the centuries. Since their opening to the public in 1882, the palace’s gardens have provided a greenspace for family picnics and strolls, as well as a popular setting for fairs, competitions, and plays.

Worth mentioning

The distinct Parish Church of St Mary and part of the formidable Wignacourt Aqueduct (which runs through several other villages) are two noteworthy structures built in the 17th century by the Attard native architect Tommaso Dingli. One of Malta’s largest nursing homes – St Catherine’s – is in Attard, and its primary school serves as a polling station during elections.  Attard’s property types run the gamut since its surge in development in the ‘80s, but there’s no shortage of converted farmhouses and Knight-built residences, especially in the San Anton Quarter. Pitkalija Road and the areas surrounding the bustling village centre have seen an uptick in commercial establishments in recent years. Though a national holiday, the 15th August’s feast of Assumption of Mary is particularly important to saraċini as it’s their parish’s namesake and is consequently when their summer village feast is held. Attard is home to the Malta Amateur Radio League, the musical society of La Stella Levantina, and the Attard Football Club.