Valletta, the Capital City of Malta has, over the centuries, been
described as a gem. It is unique in character and rich in history. It is also very popular with tourists.
The City, named after the Grand Master of the Order of St John, Jean
Parisot de la Valette, is located between two of
Malta’s main harbours, Marsamxett Harbour and The Grand Harbour, and
was founded in 1566 by the Knights of the Order of St John following the
successful defence of the Island from the Ottoman invasion. One of
it’s twenty-eight churches, the oldest, is dedicated to Our Lady of
Victories, and was built the same year it was founded.
This city was built with a uniform urban plan which was inspired by neo-platonic principles. It was an ideal creation of the late Renaissance with its fortified and bastioned walls modelled around the natural site.
Today the city has encountered a number of rebuilding projects, amongst them the Parliament House Building which is found on the right as soon as you walk through city gate. Even though it has witnessed a few building projects they have not ruined the style of the city.
Some of the most popular buildings to visit are Teatru Rjal, the Auberge de Bavière, Auberge de Castile, the Church of the Shipwreck of St Paul, the Library and the Manoel Theatre. Valletta also has a total of 320 monuments and, in 1980, was
officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.