Padre Tomasucci's subterranean aqueduct

Abstract

The Wignacourt Aqueduct, in Malta, was constructed between 1610-15 to deliver water to the, then, newly founded city of Valletta. Within this paper, the aqueduct has been classified into two main segments: the upstream segment, directed by Padre Tomasucci, and the downstream segment, directed by Bontadino de Bontadini. The former runs underground throughout, except for a very few exceptions; while a considerable amount of the latter, runs above the surface on arcades and substructions. This dissertation examines the upstream segment, with the primary intent of discovering whether this part of the aqueduct could be used to deliver water for agriculture activity in the area. This paper presents the findings collected through numerable site inspections and measured surveys. These findings, in turn, have been amalgamated with a number of interviews. The subjects of which, consisted of a number of farmers who have inherited an agricultural tradition which depends on its association to the aqueduct. Apart from providing empirical documentation about this relatively unexplored infrastructure, this study has also laid down the foundations for its potential future rehabilitation.