Tag: Port of Malta region

A photo of the Auberge de Baviere - Valletta, Malta

Maltese windows

When the Knights of Malta built Valletta in the seventeenth century, it was admired by all who saw it. We don't realise that it took 400 years or so to look the way it does today. At the beginning, for instance, there were no windows anywhere in Valletta.
A photo of the view from St Michael's Bastions - Valletta, Malta

The Obelisk that Moved

In Malta, driving towards Valletta, you see a large obelisk amidst the many lanes of traffic fighting their way to work. This monument is Spencer Obelisk and has a connection to a future king of England.
A photo of Fort St Elmo - Valletta, Malta

The Revolting Priests of Malta

Priests, especially in the Christian tradition, are rarely militant or warmongering. Even in the days of the Crusades, priests were not the ones at the front doing the fighting. So why did Roman Catholic priests revolt in Malta in the late eighteenth century?
A photo of Fort St Angelo - Birgu, Malta

Fort St Angelo’s Fortifications

Fort St Angelo guarding the harbour. This is a quintessential view of Malta from the capital, Valletta. Many assume that the Knights built it for the Great Siege of Malta, but this is not correct.
A photo of the fortifications around Malta - Valletta, Malta

The Fall of Constantinople & the Siege of Malta

On 29 May 1453, the Ottoman Empire captured the eastern capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople. On 18 May 1565, the Ottoman Empire advanced on the tiny island of Malta but failed to capture it. The two battles are linked in a not-so-obvious way.
A photo of the triptych of the Madonna - Lija, Malta

The Crying Madonna of Malta

In the centre of island of Malta lies a small neighbourhood known as 'Tal-Mirakli'. ('The Miraculous [Neighbourhood]'). It nestles between the three residential villages of Attard, Balzan and Lija. There you can find a small Roman Catholic chapel that contains the source of this unusual name.
A photo of typical Maltese door knockers - Senglea, Malta

Walk about – Senglea, Malta

When you stand on the south-facing fortified walls of Valletta, Malta's capital city, Fort St Angelo ⛫ is what captures your attention. A little to the West, across the creek, the city of Senglea is just as noteworthy.
The statuette of the Sleeping Lady found in the Hypogeum

Hypogeum – The Land that Time Forgot

If you're planning a trip to Malta and fancy visiting the oldest prehistoric temple that is completely underground, I would highly recommend a visit to the Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni in the southern part of the island.