The archway was said to have been dismantled by members of the Sliema Historic Society (SHS),[5] but this was categorically denied by Salvino Testaferrata Moroni Viani by providing primary sources as evidence.

The archway was built by the aristocratic Testaferrata family in 1796 when Fra Nicolaus Butius saw the need for the development of a main road in the area to facilitate movement from Msida to Sliema, with this event commemorated with the structure itself.

[16] At one point, the actual owners being the Sant Fournier family at the time sold the business due to financial constrains caused by WWII.

[18] In 2011-2012 the arch was in danger to collapse[19] and for this reason it was listed under the Emergency Conservation Order with the use of the Environment and Development Planning Act 2010 with the use of article 82.

The inscription on the gate is written as the following:[6] Publicae Privatæque Commoditat Viam ex Praedis Baronis Testaferrata Amplificatam Fr.