‘Karozzini’ are one of the oldest forms of public transport in Malta, dating back to the mid-19th century
Social media has produced an old photograph drawn from the archives that shows the Spinola area in St Julian’s looking very different to the way we know it now! Horse-drawn carriages fill the area opposite the St Julian’s police station that now forms a small parking area.
Il-Bajja ta’ Spinola ġewwa San Ġiljan. Pjuttost differenti mil-lum. Ritratt: #arkivjinazzjonalimalta Spinola Bay at St Julian’s. Somewhat different than these days. Photo: #NationalArchivesMalta
Posted by The National Archives of Malta on Thursday 18 July 2024
These carriages are referred to in Maltese as ‘karozzini’, which is one of the oldest forms of public transport in Malta, dating back to the mid-19th century. The electricity poles seen in the photo indicate that it could date back to the late 19th or early 20th century, before cars became more popular.
Despite the vastly more modern appearance of today’s Spinola, one can still spot the three typical Maltese balconies seen on the building in the centre of the photo, as well as the iconic palm trees, now part of a roundabout!
The fountain shown on the left side of the photo, that was removed in a recent refurbishment of the Spinola area, can be seen being used as a source of drinking water for the horses in between their journeys.
Can you imagine wandering around Spinola in the late 19th century?