Ħamrun Il-Ħamrun Casal San Giuseppe |
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Local council | |||
Ħamrun skyline
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Motto: Propera augesco (I grow rapidly) |
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Coordinates: 35°53′10″N 14°29′22″E / 35.88611°N 14.48944°ECoordinates: 35°53′10″N 14°29′22″E / 35.88611°N 14.48944°E | |||
Country | Malta | ||
Region | Southern Region | ||
District | Northern Harbour District | ||
Borders | Floriana, Marsa, Msida, Pietà, Qormi, Santa Venera | ||
Government | |||
• Mayor | Christian Sammut (PL) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 1.1 km2 (0.4 sq mi) | ||
Population (March 2014) | |||
• Total | 9,244 | ||
• Density | 8,400/km2 (22,000/sq mi) | ||
Demonym(s) | Ħamruniż (m), Ħamruniża (f), Ħamruniżi (pl) Tas-Sikkina, Ta' Werwer |
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Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
Postal code | HMR | ||
Dialing code | 356 | ||
ISO 3166 code | MT-18 | ||
Patron saint |
St. Cajetan Immaculate Conception St. Joseph |
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Day of festa | Second Sunday of August First Sunday of July First Sunday of May |
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Website | Official website |
Ħamrun (Maltese: Il-Ħamrun) is a town in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 9,244 as of March 2014.
The townspeople are traditionally known as Tas-Sikkina (literally meaning 'of the knife' or 'those who carry a knife') or as Ta' Werwer (which literally means 'those who scare' or more colloquially, 'the scary ones'). This appellation could stem from the fact that a considerable number of Hamrunizi used to work as stevedores on the docks and thus carried a knife at all times. Another theory was that the community of Sicilians who settled here illegally in the 16th century danced a traditional dance which involved the wielding of small stilettos which they carried in their socks, waving them in the air and back to their sheaths.
San Ġorġ Preca (founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine) although born in Valletta, lived most of his life in Ħamrun. He is buried in a Chapel in Ħamrun. It is the home town of former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and of Presidents Anton Buttigieg and Guido de Marco. The founder of the Malta Workers' Union (UHM), Salvino Spiteri, was born and lived here.
Hamrun gave birth to several important artists and men of letters. Notable persons from Ħamrun are the actor and lyrical singer Oreste Kirkop who is remembered mostly for his role in The Vagabond King, and Maltese poet and theatre director Mario Azzopardi (born in 1944), who has a strong reputation for introducing new, radical poetry in Malta in the Sixties and who became the artistic director of the Malta Drama Centre (est. 1979). Josephine Zammit Cordina is a well-known actress and TV personality. She is also associated with Australia being the presenter of the Radio Programme "Boomerang" and TV programme "Waltzing Matilda" . She was honoured by the Maltese Government (Gieh Ir-Republika) and the Australian Government (Honorary Member of the Order of Australia) . Joe Zammit Cordina (Josephine's brother in-law) was also a well-known actor and TV personality . He took part in a number of International Films in minor character roles . The Airport scene in "Midnight Express" is well remembered. He was also Mayor of Hamrun.