Victoria, Malta
Victoria is the capital of the island of Gozo and its Citadel is visible from almost all the island. The hill has been inhabited since the Neolithic and it was first fortified in the Bronze Age (c. 1500 BC). It was later occupied by the Phoenicians and the Romans but it wasn't until the late medieval times that it became a defensive stronghold against the attacks from raiders, namely Barbary corsairs and Saracens, in search of slaves. After the Great Siege of 1565, the Knights Hospitallier decided to reinforce the Citadel's defences to provide refuge and protection against further attacks. A law was issued that the Gozitan population had to spend the night within the Citadel for their own safety. When the restriction was lifted in 1637 the population started to settle beyond the walls creating the town of Rabat around them. The name Victoria was given by the British Government in 1887 in honour of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and at the same time, the town was r...