Thank you for passing by.
Every day, this door makes people wonder what the history of this place was.
The History
The building once formed part of a much larger building which included most of the block and was used as a kind of hospital/shelter. In later years it was one of the many bakeries in Birgu. There are still people around who remember the mule driving the wooden mill in the lower rooms and the wood fired oven which cooked thousands of Sunday Meals for the hungry residences. They would arrive with their numbered trays to get their bread baked and Sunday roasts prepared for the week.
With three large mill rooms, two courtyards, the baker’s oven and several smaller side rooms, the layout can only be described as impressive and is a definite must-see if you’re on the island. Back then the address was 27, North Street which later changed to Triq it-Tramuntana.
Il Forn Art Gallery & Wine Bar
In 2001 Il Forn Art Gallery & Wine Bar was opened.
Il-Forn was a fun and inspirational place. A wine bar that doubled as an art gallery situated in the old village of Birgu (Vittoriosa). An enchanting walk through the narrow, stepped and floral decorated alleys will get you to this hideout built in 1637.
This was probably the first trendy wine bar in Malta to open outside of the more touristy areas of the island. These sorts of ventures have given a new lease of life to the village at night and -the locals really took them to heart.
Il-Forn was decorated through and through by the Austrian Artist Clemens Hasengschwandtner, who considered the building as an ongoing art project. From the walls which come to life with his creative works, to the tables and even the chairs, Clemens’ personal touch was evident all over.
It is here that he started experimenting with his artistic abilities, and eventually opened Il-Forn. After several successful years, he handed over the restaurant’s ownership in 2006 to focus on his art full-time and also to travel, visiting most of Southeast Asia, where he met his Malaysian wife, and parts of Europe. They returned to Il-Forn in September 2013.
The Artist has created over 1000 different works of art throughout his life. Although assuming responsibility of Il-Forn, as chef and owner, his art has not been neglected and he still continues to produce vast amounts of artwork.
Sadly he passed away in 2021. His wife still resides at the address, but the wine bar has been permanently closed. For a historical reference of his works and life, you can visit:
or
timesofmalta.com/articles/view/vittoriosa-based-artist-clemens-hasengschwandtner-dies.897493