And it would possess unique features that would make it stand out from other European cities. It would be a place in which trade, handicrafts and the arts would flourish. Grand Master La Valette envisioned the city as a hub of political, economic and cultural activity in 16th century Europe. Valletta Is ‘A City Built By Gentlemen For Gentlemen’ Grand Master La Valette himself laid the first foundation stone of Valletta on 28 March 1566 and the city would bear his name. Believing the Ottomans would return, the Knights set out to build the capital city immediately after their departure. But when the Ottomans conquered it, they could find safety for their galleys within the Grand Harbour. When the Turks took Mount Sceberras during the Great Siege, it became evident how crucial it was to keep it from the enemy’s hands. Fort St Elmo had successfully held off the first attacks for several weeks, winning the Knights valuable time. The Knights of Malta led by Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette needed a new fortified capital city. Building a city on the same peninsula as Fort St Elmo would ensure a better defence of the peninsula, the two harbours, the Three Cities of the Knights: Birgu, Bormla and Isla, and the whole island.
They required a city nearby their fleet, so they fortified Birgu and made it the administrative capital of Malta. Eventually, the Knights of St John founded the city of Valletta in 1566, right after the Great Siege of Malta. Valletta was officially proclaimed the capital city of Malta on 18 March 1571. But when the Knights of St John arrived in Malta in 1530, the seafarers discovered that Mdina, which had developed from a Bronze Age settlement on a hill far inland, did not serve their needs. Previously, from antiquity to the medieval period, Mdina had been the capital of the island of Malta the Citadel in Rabat (now Victoria) was the capital of Gozo. Valletta, Malta, is the capital city of the Maltese Islands. Valletta Was Not Always The Capital Of Malta These interesting facts will also enrich your visit by hinting where to go and what to look out for. Discover some interesting facts about the city of Valletta to grow your appreciation for Malta’s capital.
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