Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
When you’re starting your journey on Malta at Valletta, you’ll be at a region with way too many inhabitants and an impressive density of buildings. It is hard to even see the rocky and rough shape of the island. That changes dramatically when you pass to the southwest shore with many uninhabited areas and a natural phenomenon: the Dingli cliffs. It is the highest point of the island, and the steep cliffs draw a different image of the island.
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The islands of Malta contain some ancient treasures: megalithic temples built from giant stones. They are today together represented as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple closest to Valletta is the temple of Tarxien constructed between 3250 BC and 2500 BC. It was discovered in 1914 because farmers plowing the land were stuck because of the large stones. These days the temple is protected by a roof and located in a large residential zone.
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Food markets that let you grab something to eat from different food stalls are spreading around the world and for sure also Valletta needed one: the Is-Suq Tal-Belt. It is an ancient market hall in Victorian style from the 19th century. In the basement you can find a food supermarket and on the ground floor the food court is located.
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It has become an icon of Malta: The Vedetta watchtower of Senglea. Located in the small Gardjola gardens at the end of L-Isla it is only a small watchtower, but a beloved photo location. The ornaments on the outside – eyes and ears – show what this tower was built for and from the gardens you’re having amazing views on Valletta and the Grand Harbour.
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The harbor of Valletta was protected by three fortifications facing the sea: the famous Fort St. Elmo in the center, the Fort Tigné in the north (with little of it left) and the Fort St. Angelo in the south on the peninsula Birgu belonging to Vittoriosa. Human settlements have been created early in this area and a castle was first mentioned in the 12th century CE.
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The oldest inhabited part in the region of the Maltese capital city is in fact not Valletta itself. Already before the creation of the wonderful center on Monte Sciberras there were cities south of the Grand Harbour. They are called the Three Cities or Cottonera: Cospicua, Senglea and Vittoriosa.
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A fortification at the sea, a national war museum, but most important: a place where important Maltese history has happened. The Fort St. Elmo sits at the end of the headland on which Valletta was built, between the entrance to the Grand Harbour and the Marsamxett Harbour. The fortification was built by the Knights Hospitaller but the location wasn’t perfect: when the Osmans attacked in 1565 they could enter the northern harbor and they attacked St. Elmo from the opposite side of the bay as well as from the higher areas of the headland.
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When you’re seeing the large lines in front of the main cathedral of Valletta you might think about skipping this sight and saving the high entrance fee of 15 hours. But that would be a bad decision as the St. John’s Co-Cathedral is not like an ordinary church, it is filled with extraordinary richness that cannot be seen or guessed from the outside. St. John’s Co-Cathedral was built by the Knights Hospitaller until the year 1578 and contains a section for every nationality that sent knights.
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She is one of the Maltese national treasures: the sleeping lady. The statue was found at the hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni, a neolithic necropolis. It is rather small but more than 4500 years old and seen as the representation of a goddess. Today you can’t visit her at the hypogeum which is nowadays a UNESCO world heritage site (and tickets are extremely hard to get), you can see her at the national museum of archaeology.
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In 2018 Valletta (and Leeuwarden) became European Capitals of Culture. This was a good reason to enhance the Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arti (MUŻA) that was founded in 1974. It was moved from the Admirality House to the Auberge d’Italie bringing it closer to the parliament and city gate. Today it is located in a beautiful modern building and it’s fun to explore.
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