The Citadel clock bells, which have been chiming time in their present location in Gozo since 1858 have fallen silent for a short time while they undergo restoration.

The work has been commissioned by the Gozo Ministry as part of the ongoing restoration of the Citadel, the Department of Information said.

According to detailed research work recently undertaken, the older of the two bells is the quarter strike bell, which is attributed to the early 18th century founders Luca and Mederico Menville of the Ferreria of the Order of St John.

This bell probably previously hung in the old clock tower in the Cathedral Square

The hour strike bell bears the date 1819 and is attributed to the Sicilian bell-founder Ferdinando Leotta who worked with his brother Sebastiano in Ghajn Dwieli after the Ferreria of the Order was closed down when the French expelled the Knights from Malta.

Restoration work on these bells will be carried out by campanologist Kenneth Cauchi, who has carried out similar work on most of the historic bells in Malta, including those at Mdina Cathedral, St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta and the Gozo Cathedral within the Citadel precincts.

A third bell of smaller dimensions, previously belonging to the Order’s Hospital in Victoria and recently removed from Gozo General Hospital, will also be undergoing restoration. It is also a product of the Ferreria and probably dates from the late 1600s.

While the bells are being restored, urgent maintenance work will be carried out on the roof structure of the clock turret and the time movement and chiming mechanism, by employees of the Department of Projects and Development of the Gozo Ministry.