Having been governed by so many rulers over time and inhabited by numerous elite families through the ages, it’s no wonder that the islands are inundated with many glorious, historical villas. And one such villa is that found in Dr John Borg Street in Zejtun, in the area known as Ta’ Tavlin.

It’s an old villa that dates back to the 18^th century. “It had a garden out front and was decorated with the most beautiful architectural features. The main door also featured the coat of arms of the Testaferrata Bonici family, the people that commissioned this villa to be built as a resting spot for them to come to,” says Wirt iz-Zejtun, a voluntary organisation raising awareness about the locality’s heritage, in a recent Facebook post.

Unfortunately, this Zejtun villa is a target for development, and could face a similar fate of other old villas around the island that have been converted into apartment blocks. The villa has been left in a dilapidated state, with several parts falling to pieces, including the historical well and its surrounding structure.

According to Wirt iz-Zejtun, the villa was used as a farm for a while and also bears Neoclassical features that are succumbing to the test of time. In order to protect the villa, the organisation is appealing to the public to protest against the marked the development on the area here and here that, if approved, will turn the villa into residential units.

What do you think will happen to the villa?