All the talk over the past couple of weeks has centred around the decision to place the Monti in Ordnance Street. The news that it would be placed between the new parliament building and the Teatru Rjal caused a veritable storm as one organisation after another and the majority of the general public raising huge objections to the decision.

Then came the news that the government was not sure whether the garden in the ditch below the entrance will still go ahead. Again, people met it with disdain – although it is not yet a foregone conclusion.

So it was welcome news that yesterday, the Mepa board turned down an application to have a monument to the Knights of St John directly opposite the parliament building. The Renzo Piano project was drawn up with a view to having a minimalist design.

If you walk into Valletta from City Gate, you can see why. It works. The majestic opening allows you to look up to the sky and it immediately draws your attention to Valletta’s unique skyline. As you walk in and take in your surroundings, the long sloping staircases at the side of the entrance just works – it is the work of a master architect.

Some people still do not like the Teatru Rjal, but all in all, the project has worked and it has restored Valletta to its former glory. It certainly looks ten times better than the previous monstrosity that looked more like an entrance to a Kasbah rather than a beautiful baroque city. In keeping a minimalist design, Piano managed to focus on the Maltese stone. A concept that he pushed right from the word go, the light reflects of it and it is a bright, airy and stunning entrance to the city.

This is why there should not be any monuments placed there, simply because it is a monument within itself. In judging this decision by Mepa, we are not judging the monument itself. We are judging the wisdom of placing anything that might detract from the beauty of Valletta’s new entrance. It is exactly the same concept as the three-legged horse Zieme. Appreciation of art is subjective, there are no right or wrong opinions. But the placement of an art installation is a different matter entirely.

City Gate should be left well alone. Over embellishing it will ruin it, for the reasons we have already mentioned above. It is good to see that common sense has prevailed. Now, let us hope that common sense will prevail again, and that the monti will be moved away from parliament. And while we are at it, the government should also look into removing the ramshackle kiosks that blight Valletta’s entrance before you set foot onto the bridge leading in.