City Go

Mdina was founded by the Phoenicians, in the 8th century BC, and later occupied by the Romans. The city was defended by walls since the beginning but very few remains from this period have survived. The present walls started taking shape sometime after the fall of the Western Roman Empire when, for defensive purposes, a retrenchment was built within the city, reducing it to its present size. In 870 the city was conquered by the Arabs, who killed its population and destroyed its fortress, leaving Mdina uninhabited for almost two centuries. The city was resettled in the mid 11th century and the walls were rebuilt. However, these didn't prevent the city from being conquered by Roger I of Sicily in 1230. During the Middle Ages, the walls were built and rebuilt several times and by the 15th century, most of Mdina's enceinte had a system of double walls which were reinforced out of fear of an Ottoman attack. Despite all the improvements, by the 16th century, the walls were consi...

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...

The grotto is located in the heart of Rabat, beneath Saint Paul's church. It is the place where it is said Saint Paul took refugee while stranded in Malta, after a shipwreck.  During his three months in Malta, Saint Paul is said to have healed several people, including the father of the Roman governor. He was also bitten by a viper and remained unharmed, prompting the natives to regard him as a god. The church of Saint Paul, built above the grotto, dates from the 17th century. The statue of Saint Paul was donated by Grand Master Pinto in 1748. Opening hours: (Mon. to Sat.) 9.30 am to 5 pm Entrance fee: €5 Back to Mdina

Located just outside Mdina, in a Roman townhouse from the 1st century BC, the museum contains artefacts from the Roman period including elegant mosaics and high-quality marble sculptures. In an annexe, there's a large collection of Muslim stelae from the Arab cemetery excavated on the site. The museum, built deliberately to protect the mosaics found on the site, was inaugurated in 1882. Opening hours: 9 am to 5 pm; Entrance fee: €6 Back to Mdina

The cathedral in Mdina is dedicated to the patron saint of Malta, Saint Paul. According to tradition it was in this place that Saint Paul met Publius, the Roman Governor, and converted him to Christianity. The cathedral dates from the late 16th, early 17th centuries and was designed in the Baroque style by the architect Lorenzo Gafá. It was built on top of the remains of a Norman church destroyed by an earthquake in 1693. Close by stands the cathedral's museum, housed in a former seminar. It was established in 1897. Opening hours: Mon. to Fri. 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (3.30 p.m. on Sat.) Entrance fee: €5 (cathedral and museum) How to go:  You can take buses  51 ,  52  and  53  from Valletta or buses  202  from Sliema/ St. Julians to reach Mdina.  For more information on Malta public buses:  Malta Buses Back to Mdina

Mdina is known as the "Noble City" or the "Silent City" and is the former capital of Malta. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC due to its strategic position on a hilltop, far from the sea. It was at this time that the first city walls were built. A few centuries later it was occupied by the Romans and, according to tradition, it was during this period, in 60 AD, that Paul the Apostle was shipwrecked on the island and the Maltese people converted to Christianity. However, the first evidence of Christianity in the island dates from the 4th century. Malta was besieged by the Arabs in the 9th century, who looted the city and killed most of its inhabitants. Mdina remained almost uninhabited until the 11th century when a community of Arabs moved to the island and built the city of Mdina (and nearby Rabat) on top of Roman Melita's remains. The city later surrendered peacefully to Christian forces after a short siege and remained the capita...