Rabat Council Sounds Alarm After Lorry Smashes Historic Wignacourt Aqueduct Arch

**Council Urges Urgent Repairs to Historic Aqueduct Arch After Traffic Collision**

A call for swift action has been issued by local council officials after a traffic accident left a visible gash in one of Malta’s iconic 18th-century aqueduct arches, prompting fears that a key piece of the island’s architectural heritage could deteriorate further if left exposed to the elements.

The incident occurred late on Monday evening when a delivery lorry misjudged the height of the arched gateway that carries the Wignacourt Aqueduct over Triq il-Wied in Rabat. The impact dislodged several limestone blocks from the arch’s crown and scattered debris across the carriageway. No injuries were reported, but photographs shared on social media show a fist-sized gap punched through the underside of the structure, with hairline cracks spreading outward like a spider’s web.

Rabat Mayor Sandro Azzopardi visited the site at dawn on Tuesday. “This isn’t just a traffic headache,” he told Hot Malta, gesturing toward the honey-coloured limestone scarred by fresh chips. “Every stone you see here was hand-cut by our ancestors. When we lose one, we lose a verse in Malta’s story.”

The Wignacourt Aqueduct was completed in 1615 to channel spring water from Rabat to Valletta, a lifeline that allowed the new capital to grow. Its triple-tiered arches march 15 kilometres across fields and main roads, a feat of engineering so celebrated that Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt had his name carved proudly on the keystones. While traffic now zooms beneath the arches along modern tarmac, the aqueduct remains a daily touchstone for commuters, joggers and wedding photographers who prize its golden glow at sunset.

Local residents have long warned that increased commercial traffic is incompatible with the low clearance of some arches. “We hear the scrape of vans almost weekly,” said 72-year-old Maria Camilleri, who lives in a townhouse abutting the damaged arch. “Each sound makes me wince. These stones survived Ottoman raids and World War II bombs—only to be clipped by a groceries van.”

The council has erected temporary steel props beneath the affected span and diverted heavy vehicles via Saqqajja Hill, a narrower but higher route that has already triggered rush-hour tailbacks into Mdina. Mayor Azzopardi has sent an urgent letter to Transport Malta and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage requesting emergency scaffolding, laser scanning and a conservation-approved repair plan. “We need more than a quick dab of cement,” he stressed. “Limestone breathes; the wrong mortar traps moisture and the whole arch could spall.”

Heritage NGOs have rallied behind the appeal. “Malta’s aqueducts are our answer to Rome’s viaducts,” said Dr Elena Grech from NGO Salva l-Arti. “Yet only two arches are scheduled Grade 1. The rest survive on goodwill.” Grech proposes installing height-restriction gantries fitted with sensors that trigger flashing warnings, similar to systems protecting railway bridges in the UK. “Prevention costs peanuts compared to rebuilding 400-year-old masonry,” she noted.

Business owners are watching nervously. Kevin Muscat runs a pastizzeria halfway along the diverted route. “Extra buses mean extra customers, but if they get stuck in traffic, the pastries go cold,” he laughed, then turned serious. “Honestly, I’d rather sell fewer pastizzi than see that arch crumble.”

The Agriculture Ministry, custodian of the aqueduct, confirmed it is “assessing damage and will issue a call for tenders for conservative repairs within weeks”. Meanwhile, the lorry driver has been questioned by police; charges are pending.

For many, the collision is a wake-up call. “We take these monuments for granted because they’re always there on our commute,” reflected Mayor Azzopardi as clouds gathered overhead. “But heritage isn’t indestructible. One wrong turn and history becomes rubble. Let’s fix this arch before the next rainstorm turns a crack into a collapse.”

The council will hold a public meeting on Monday at 6 pm in Rabat parish centre to discuss protective measures and traffic-calming options. Residents, hauliers and history enthusiasts are invited to attend.