Birkirkara

Birkirkara (abbreviated as B'Kara) is a city in the central region of Malta. It is the second most populous on the island, with 24,356 inhabitants as of 2020. The town consists of five autonomous parishes: Saint Helen, Saint Joseph the Worker, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Saint Mary and San Gorg Preca. The city's motto is In hoc signo vinces, and its coat of arms is a plain red cross, surmounted by a crown. Birkirkara means "cold water" or "running water". This is attributed to the valley in the town. Originally, the name was written as Birchircara, as influenced by Italian spelling which traditionally does not use the letter 'K'. It is often abbreviated as B'kara/Kara. Birkirkara is situated in a valley, which is most likely where it gets its name from. It is known for flooding on heavy stormy days. Several projects have been proposed. The area has also received embellishment works from time to time. Birkirkara features a Csa Mediterranean climate under the Köppen climate classification. Birkirkara features mild, wet winters and dry hot summers. The city's temperature varies from during the course of a year. Birkirkara is one of Malta's oldest towns with a recorded mention in 1402 with The Cappella of Birkarkam which is understood to be an error for Birkirkara. It received mention in the 1436 Ecclesiastical Report mentioning the then existing parishes in Malta and Gozo, from which Birkirkara emerged as the largest parish. Various parishes and suburbs developed out of Birkirkara over the years, including Sliema, St. Julian's, Msida, Ħamrun in the 19th century and Santa Venera in the early 20th century. In more recent years, San Ġwann (1965) and Ta' l-Ibraġ hived off Birkirkara to form part of the new parish and locality of Swieqi in 1993. Birkirkara has grown into an important commercial centre as well as a densely populated residential area. Birkirkara is home to many locations of importance. Malta Financial Services Authority the financial regulator of Malta has its headquarters in Birkirkara.