Żabbar

Żabbar, also known as Città Hompesch, is a city in the Port Region of Malta. It is the seventh largest city in Malta, with a population of about 15,648 people as of January 2021. Originally, Żabbar was a part of Żejtun. It received the title of Città Hompesch from Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim, the last Grand Master of the Order of St. John to rule in Malta. Today, Żabbar remains an important part of Malta's history and culture.

Etymology

The name of Żabbar likely comes from the Maltese word tiżbor, which means the process of pruning trees. Some families who lived in the area during the Middle Ages were known for pruning trees. Another idea is that the name might come from an important family named Żabbar who lived there.

The name could also be linked to words meaning “consoler” in Maltese, relating to a chapel called Our Lady of Graces. It might also be connected to a type of plant called Agave, which grows in warm places. This idea comes from similar words used in nearby places, like Żejtun, which means “olive” in Arabic.

Demography

The population of Żabbar was 17,779 in July 2024, with 9,322 males and 8,457 females. Of these, 15,889 were Maltese nationals and 1,890 were foreign nationals.

Żabbar is located north of Kalkara and Xgħajra, west of the Cottonera Lines (which include Vittoriosa and Cospicua), east of Marsaskala, and south of Żejtun. It is the largest town in this area.

The western part of Żabbar, including areas called Il-Biċċieni and Tal-Bajjada (also known as Il-Misraħ), has many closely packed homes and winding streets that form the town's center. The eastern part is more like a suburb, with newer homes such as row houses, modern houses, and apartments. There are also two other special neighborhoods: Bulebel iż-Żgħir, which has government-built apartment buildings and rows of houses, and an area known as St. Peter's.

History

The town was used as a camp by armies from another country when they attacked Malta in 1565. Later, it became a city, and people built a special arch to honor the leader who gave it that title.

During a big fight against French rulers in 1798 to 1800, the town was an important place for the people of Malta. A big battle happened there on October 5, 1798, and you can still see old cannonballs in some walls and a museum.

When Britain ruled Malta, they built forts and batteries to protect the area. These included Fort Saint Rocco and Fort Saint Leonardo, which helped guard the nearby seas.

In 1951, an important event happened when the main religious leader of Malta honored a special statue in the town’s sanctuary. Many people gathered for this celebration.

On October 14, 1975, a military plane exploded above the village. Parts of the plane fell onto the main street and a school, but the teachers and headmaster safely guided the children to safety during their break. Sadly, six people were lost, including the plane’s crew and one person walking nearby. About twenty others were hurt. Some pieces from the plane are kept in a local museum.

Culture

The city of Żabbar is well known for its strong faith, especially in Our Lady of Grace. The Sanctuary in the city is dedicated to her, and many paintings and items there carry the letters "VFGA." These letters are a special sign that people asked for help and received it through Our Lady of Grace.

Żabbar holds special celebrations for its holy figures. One big celebration happens on the first Sunday after September 8th, where people ride motorcycles and bicycles to honor Our Lady of Grace, the patron of cyclists. There are also feasts for St. Michael the Archangel and Our Lady of the Rosary, with processions and music. The city has two band clubs that help with these events and put on shows during Holy Week. Visitors can see many interesting places in Żabbar, like the Sanctuary Museum and Hompesch Gate.

Other churches

• Annunciation Church: This chapel is located on Main Street between the Labour Party and St. Patrick F.C. Clubs. It is dedicated to the Annunciation.
• Santa Marija Chapel: Dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, this chapel is in one of the oldest parts of Ħaż-Żabbar. A painting on the altar shows Mary being taken to Heaven with her body and soul together. A lovely statue of Our Lady of Sorrows can be found here.
• Holy Cross Church: This church opened in 1993 to serve the growing community in the newest part of Ħaż-Żabbar. The area where it is located is called Sant' Andrija (St. Andrew's).
• Maria Bambina Centre: This place is used for teaching and Mass on certain days of the week.
• Saint Andrew: Built in the 15th century, this chapel is next to Santa Domenica Church. Today, it is used along with Santa Domenica Church as the local scout group's headquarters.
• Santa Domenica Church: This was rebuilt in 1954 after damage during World War 2. Together with Saint Andrew's Church, it is now used as part of the local scout group's headquarters.
• Our Lady of Mercy: This chapel is in the town's cemetery. It is used for funeral services and Mass.
• Our Lady of the Pillar: This is a very small church. In 1585, Ġuzeppi Testaferrata gave money and helped organize a celebration for Our Lady. Today, the chapel is not in use.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Malta

Żabbar has special friendships with other towns. It is twinned with Villabate in Italy since September 1997 and with Eschborn in Germany.

The city also has partnership agreements with Montgeron in France and Póvoa de Varzim in Portugal. This partnership began in July 2001 during an international youth summer camp.

Sports

Ħaż-Żabbar has several sports teams. The main football team is Zabbar St. Patrick FC., which also includes St. Patrick's Nursery FC. There are two amateur football teams in the town: Ħaż-Żabbar Crystal Blues and Ħaż-Żabbar Athletics. Other sports clubs include Ħaż-Żabbar Shooting Club, Ħaż-Żabbar Boċċi Club, St Peters Boċċi Club, Ħaż-Żabbar Subbuteo Club, Zabbar Chievo Futsal Club, The Basketball Club, and Ħaż-Żabbar Amateur Racing Club.

Notable personalities

Żabbar has been home to some well-known people. Agatha Barbara served as the President of Malta before she passed away in 2002. Another famous person from Żabbar is Quinton Scerri, who works as a TV presenter for TVM.

Radio stations

There are some radio stations in Żabbar. One is Radju MMG FM, which broadcasts on 97.5 FM. Another is TRN Radio, owned by Tony Cilia.

In the past, there was a station called Radju Hompesch on 90 FM. It was owned by Gordon Caruana and was on the air from around 2000 until February 2022.

Żabbar in postage stamps

In 1993, Malta started a system of local councils, and four postage stamps were made to celebrate this, showing the coats of arms of the councils. The top right stamp showed the coat of arms of Żabbar.

Later, in 1997, three stamps were issued to mark 200 years since Żabbar received the title of "Citta". These stamps featured three cities linked to Ferdinand von Hompesch: Żabbar, Siġġiewi, and Żejtun. The Żabbar stamp showed the Hompesch Gate. In 1998, Ferdinand von Hompesch himself appeared on another stamp.

In 2019, a stamp in the Maltese Festa series showed the famous statue of Our Lady of Grace from Żabbar.