At the beginning of the
twentieth century Mons. Spir Penza who lived in Cospicua but used to
spend his summer vacation in Birzebbuga started work so that a
church would be built in Birzebbuga. On the 10th of October 1909
construction work on the facade of the church began according to plans
of Salv. Sacco from Cospicua. The built church, dedicated to
Our Lady of Sorrows, became the first Parish Church of Birzebbuga under
Mons Isqof Pietro Pace according to a degree conferred on the 9th of September
1913. Originally it hosted a titular painting which is now kept in
the present Parish Church. The first parish priest of B’Buga was Dun Karm
Bugelli. The church of Our Lady of Sorrows remained the parish church of B’Buga
till the year 1937, when the new church started to be utilised. This chapel was
used for many years till 2009 as a centre for religious education for boys
by MUSEUM members. Use of the church by MUSEUM members was discontinued as
at the time the façade was deemed a dangerous structure.
Despite the generally
sound state of the façades of the chapel, there were a number of factors which
were responsible for certain decay mechanisms observed as well as other
detrimental and visually undesirable interventions. The lower part of the
Chapel was characterised with cement rendering which was flaking off in some
parts. This had to be removed as it was causing damage to the lower part of the
walls, stone columns and bases. Certain areas of the belfries, excluding the
façade, are also covered with cement rendering. There were dark areas of
superficial deposits on the stonework in certain areas of the façades of
the church. Some areas were also covered with biological pollution/patina
for example along the fascias and cornices at the top of the building
especially the belfries and below the mouldings of the triangular pediment.
Various open joints localised at the upper part of the church were also
allowing water-seepage. In fact some parts fell from the mouldings and
pediment.
The repair and
maintenance works that were carried out had the primary aim of rendering back
to this historic monument its aesthetic and visual integrity, which had been
particularly impaired both by the wrong choice of materials in past
interventions and the lack of maintenance. The intervention included cleaning
works, replacement of stone, plastic repair and pointing as was necessary.
Visible pipe-work, cables and rusting metal inserts also had to be removed
before restoration works started.