Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta, Malta

The Upper Barrakka Gardens is a public garden in La Valletta, twinned with the Lower Barrakka Gardens, which offers a magnificent view of the Grand Harbour, Sanglea and Vittoriosa. The garden dates back to 1661 when it used to be a private garden of the knights.  It opened to the public 150 years later.

Opening hours: 7 am to 10 pm
Entrance free

Back to Valletta







Local: Floriana, Malta

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Church of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal

Image
The church of Santa Maria de Belém originated from the expansion,  ordered by Henry the Navigator in the 15th century,  of a previous hermitage built on the site. The new church was trusted to the Order of Christ- of which Henry the Navigator was the Grand Master- to help the seamen that passed by Belém, as the hermitage had done before. In 1501, by order of King D. Manuel I, the Monastery of the Hieronymites started being built and the small church was totally remodelled in the Manueline and Renaissance styles. It was the king's wish that the church should become a pantheon for the dynasty (Avis-Beja) started by him, and that it continued to help the travellers passing through Belém. Like the Monastery, the church was significantly restored in the 19th century. Inside the church are the tombs of several historical figures: Luís de Camões, one of Portugal's greatest poets who lived in the 16th century, Vasco da Gama, the first navigator to go to In...
Read more

Dwejra Tower, Gozo, Malta

Image
The Dwejra Tower was built in 1652 (along with others) during the reign of the Grand Master Lascaris, to guard the Dwejra coast. The tower also guarded the "Fungus Rock", preventing anyone unauthorised by the Order of Saint John from collecting the famous Maltese fungus, erroneously believed to have unique medicinal properties. Anyone caught stealing the plant could be sentenced to death. The tower remained in use until 1873 after which it fell in disrepair. It was restored in 1999. It's one of four surviving coastal watchtowers in Gozo. It's close to one of the best diving spots in the Mediterranean, the Dwejra Bay. Opening hours : Sun to Fri- 10.30 to 12.30 and 13.15 to 15.30, if the flag is flying. Entrance free . How to get there : You can reach the island of Gozo by ferry ( link here ). From the ferry to Vitoria  Bus 301 ; from Vitoria to Dwejra  Bus 311 . Back to Gozo
Read more

Martim Moniz Square, Lisbon, Portugal

Image
According to legend, Martim Moniz was a knight in D. Afonso Henrique's army during the city's reconquest in 1147 (D. Afonso Henriques was the first king of Portugal). Seeing one of the gates open he threw himself into the breach, allowing for the invading army to enter at the cost of his own life. Martim Moniz square results from the demolition of Lower Mouraria in the mid 20th century, including the street after which the square is named. Only the chapel of Our Lady of Good Health survived the demolition. In the 90s the city council decided to make the toponym official and maintain the homage to the hero of questionable existence. During many years the square looked very degraded, until 2012, when the city council decided to renovate, adding new kiosks and esplanades. This square is also known as Lisbon's Chinatown, due to the existence of many Chinese and Indian shopkeepers. The fountain is a reference to the old wall, of which only an unrecognizable tower rem...
Read more

The Gates of Mdina, Malta

Image
Mdina walls have three gates: the Mdina Gate, the Greeks Gate and the Gharreqin Gate. The Main Gate, also known as Vilhena gate, was built in 1724, under Grandmaster Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, who in 1722 ordered the renovation and restoration of Mdina. The courtyard behind the main gate was demolished to make way for the Vilhena Palace and a new gate had to be built, a few meters to the left of the old one, which was walled up. The Gate has reliefs of Saint Agatha, Saint Paul and Saint Publius, the three patron saints of Malta. The Greeks Gate is the oldest of the three Gates, dating back to medieval times. It was also renovated in 1724 when an outer portal was built in the baroque style. It is known as the Greeks Gate because a small community of Greeks once lived by the gate. For many years it was the only gate by which the slaves were allowed to enter Mdina. The Gharreqin Gate is the less known and most recent of the three Gates. It was excavated in...
Read more