Kolonna Eterna (), also known as the Millennium Monument, is a 21st-century monumental

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...

in San Gwann, Malta. The column is an abstract art designed by Paul Vella Critien, a

Maltese Maltese may refer to: * Someone or something of, from, or related to Malta * Maltese alphabet * Maltese cuisine * Maltese culture * Maltese language, the Semitic language spoken by Maltese people * Maltese people, people from Malta or of Maltese ...

local artist that achieved his studies and experience in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. The monument is a commemoration of the new (third) millennium as part of an initiative by the San Gwann Local Council. The monument was inaugurated in 2003 by the

Prime Minister of Malta The prime minister of Malta () is the head of government, which is the highest official of Malta. The prime minister chairs Cabinet meetings, and selects its ministers to serve in their respective portfolios. The prime minister holds office b ...

Eddie Fenech Adami Edoardo "Eddie" Fenech Adami (born 7 February 1934) is a Malta, Maltese and Nationalist Party (Malta), Nationalist politician who served as the prime minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996, and again from 1998 until 2004. Subsequently, he was t ...

. The monument came to the national attention because it was largely described as having a

phallic A phallus (: phalli or phalluses) is a penis (especially when erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history, a figure with an erect penis is described as ''ithyphallic''. Any object that symbo ...

appearance. The monument is found in front of Santa Margerita Chapel.

History

The Kolonna Eterna was the first local monument by Paul Vella Critien to be installed in a public space and officiated on 27 February 2003."Paul Vella Critien"
Behind the project was the San Gwann Local Council which pushed the idea of decorating public gardens with the inclusion of well established local artists' art. Paul Vella Critien has received art education in

and had already experience as an artist career when he lived in

. Since its erection the monument had already caught the attention of the public because of its

appearance however it is intended to represent an

Egyptian obelisk An obelisk (; , diminutive of (') ' spit, nail, pointed pillar') is a tall, slender, tapered monument with four sides and a pyramidal or pyramidion top. Originally constructed by Ancient Egyptians and called ''tekhenu'', the Greeks used the ...

pointing to the open skies as a symbol to eternity. Kolonna_Eterna_detail

The 6 meters

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

structure was inaugurated by back then Prime Minister in Office

, later

President of Malta The president of Malta () is the constitutional head of state of Malta. The president is indirect election, indirectly elected by the House of Representatives of Malta, which appoints the president for a five-year term and requires them to sw ...

. The monument had a public ceremony that was attended by the Prime Minister himself, the artist, the Local Mayor of San Gwann, local councillors, member of the Nationalist Party, distinct politicians, the general public and local media such as the

Times of Malta The ''Times of Malta'' is an English-language daily newspaper in Malta. Founded in 1935, by Lord and Lady Strickland and Lord Strickland's daughter Mabel, it is the oldest daily newspaper still in circulation in Malta. It has the widest circu ...

. Subsequent to the Kolonna Eterna, Paul Vella Critien was invited to create another Monument by the

Government of Malta The Government of Malta () is the executive branch of the Republic of Malta. It is made up of the Cabinet and the Parliamentary Secretaries. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Malta The president of Malta () is the cons ...

under Prime Minister

Lawrence Gonzi Lawrence Gonzi (born 1 July 1953) is a Maltese politician, retired Nationalist politician and lawyer, who served for twenty-five years in various critical roles in Maltese politics. Gonzi was Prime Minister of Malta from 2004 to 2013, and lead ...

. The different but similar phallic appearance is the Colonna Mediterranea in

Luqa Luqa ( , ) is a town located in the Southern Region of Malta, 4.3 km away from the capital Valletta. With a population of 5,945 as of March 2014, it is a small but densely populated settlement which is typical of Malta's older towns and vi ...

, Malta. Different from Kolonna Eterna the Luqa Monument had no legal permits for its erection on place, had staunch opposition by the local mayor, it stands on the peripheries of Luqa and not under the responsibility of the local council and had local opposition specifically because of the visit of

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

to Malta where the pope mobile had to pass by it. However the San Gwann general public has several artistic monument being erected in different places and the Kolonna Eterna largely integrated within the

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or human-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes th ...

of the area; even if so some local have called for its removal because of its

nature. Eventually in 2015 Paul Vella Critien had inaugurated another monument at

Naxxar Naxxar () is a town and local council in the Northern Region of Malta. The population in March 2014 was 14,891. The Naxxar Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Victories. The annual village feast is celebrated on 8 September. It formerly hoste ...

Higher Secondary School which had not similar

controversy Controversy (, ) is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin '' controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an op ...

."Paul Vella Critien"
2015. Paul_Vella_Critien_Kolonna_Eterna

On the lower-back-side of Kolonna Eterna it is written:

Plaque

On the plaque uncovered by

it is written:

References

{{reflist San Ġwann Monuments and memorials in Malta Phallic monuments Buildings and structures completed in 2003 Roundabouts and traffic circles 2003 establishments in Malta Architectural controversies Monumental columns Phallic symbols Controversies in Malta Buildings and structures celebrating the 3rd millennium

History

Plaque

See also

References