The past couple of decades have seen Malta undergo massive developments, significantly altering its urban landscape. Having said that, few towns and villages around the islands have experienced as much change as Sliema – nowadays a booming residential and commercial hub.

A photo posted on social media by the Sliema local council is testament to that.

The image, dating back to the 1950s, shows a handful of parked cars, a couple of shops, and a few apartment blocks. Other than that, the roads seems to be generally calm and clean.

Turns out that the photo shows none other than the intersection joining the upper end of Bisazza Street to Tower Road – two of the busiest areas in all of Sliema.

The area, which is nowadays home to a small square of sorts, hosts a variety of snack kiosks, shops, apartments, and even a small fountain. As expected, the area is also way busier and much more developed than it was some 70 years ago.

The commercial establishments pictured in the 1950s photo – Sanderson’s and Charles Bar, amongst others – are long gone, having said that, the towering apartment block on top of the shops seems to have remained relatively unchanged.

Google Maps

Google Street View images dating back to 2016 show how the block has kept the same metal balconies and wooden apertures. The three traditional Maltese balconies, however, are no longer present.

The Sliema council’s post struck a chord with many residents, as some took to the comments section to highlight that the area has become virtually unrecognisable.

Which version of Sliema do you prefer?

Tas-Sliema Local Council / Facebook