The cemetery which opened the gates to extramural burials

Located in one of Malta’s busiest traffic nodes, Ta’ Braxia, in Pietà, is one of the few multifaith cemeteries on the island and the final resting place of prominent personalities, including Russian ballerina Princess Natalie Poutiatine. Designed and planned by renowned Maltese architect Emanuele Luigi Galizia (1830-1907), it was the first extramural cemetery in Malta. Its construction came in the wake of a scathing sanitary report on the health dangers of continued burials in overcrowded harbour churches, which was common practice until the mid-19th century. Moreover, the Protestant burial grounds at the Msida Bastions cemetery had reached capacity. At the time, the local church authorities were vehemently opposed to the idea of burial grounds outside the confines of parishes, as well as multifaith interment. Plague cemeteries were the only exception. However, less than 20 years later, the scenario changed completely with the construction of the Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery on the outskirts of Paola in 1872. Unfortunately, parts of Ta’ Braxia were severely damaged by aerial bombardment in World War II. The natural elements have also taken a heavy toll on the funerary...