{"id":21810,"date":"2021-02-03T15:37:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-03T12:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/?p=21810"},"modified":"2022-07-30T14:49:37","modified_gmt":"2022-07-30T11:49:37","slug":"historical-places-to-visit-in-malta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/historical-places-to-visit-in-malta\/","title":{"rendered":"A journey through Malta\u2019s 7,000-year history"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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As a fascinating bridge between the past and the future, Malta\u2019s wealth of historical sites and monuments survived hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years, the remnants of a history spanning 7,000 years. Archeological ruins, palaces, churches, gardens, castles, fortresses\u2026 Since the dawn of history, Malta has been a coveted possession to the dominant nations of the region, and the structures, buildings and monuments they left behind are witnesses to the long and colorful history of Malta dating back to the dawn of civilization.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Valletta<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Valletta
Valletta view from the sea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With a population of less than 10,000, Valletta is the smallest capital city in Europe. It takes its name from a Knight of Malta, Jean Parisot de Valette. The city \u2013 featuring Baroque palaces, gardens and churches, along with neo-classical and modern structures \u2013 was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1980. In addition to being one of Europe\u2019s most beautiful cities, Valetta has an artistic and dynamic texture and lively nightlife, and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Among Valletta\u2019s most prominent historical structures is the 16th<\/sup>-century St. John\u2019s Co-Cathedral \u2013 according to maltauncovered.com, it is \u201ca Co-cathedral since it shares the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta together with the older Cathedral of Saint Paul in Mdina\u201d. A magnificent example of Baroque architecture, the interior features soaring arched ceilings, as well as priceless icons and artworks, including original paintings by Caravaggio!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other sites to visit in Valletta include the city\u2019s first church, dedicated to Our Lady of Victories and built over the foundation stone of Valletta in 1566, as well as the Lascaris War Rooms Museum, the Baroque-style Grandmaster\u2019s Palace and the \u0126a\u0121ar Qim megalithic temple complex (about an hour\u2019s drive from Valetta). The National Archaeological Museum features the most important artefacts of Malta, from the Neolithic period to today, while the gorgeous 18th<\/sup>-century Manoel Theatre, the Toy Museum, the Postal Museum and the four-day long Valetta Carnival also provide a wonderful perspective into the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Grandmaster\u2019s Palace<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"One
One of the two stone lions that guard an entrance to the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta, Malta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Set in the city center, the Grandmaster\u2019s Palace is used as the Presidential Palace today. Construction on the palace began in 1574 but it underwent significant changes over the centuries. In the 18th<\/sup> century, the Palace\u2019s ceilings were decorated with frescoes and its structure altered with arrangements such as opening a second main entrance and building a clock tower in one of the courtyards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the Palace\u2019s arsenal and some other sections are part of a museum under Heritage Malta. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tarxien Temples\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Tarxien
Tarxien Temples in Malta dating from 3150 BC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A small town located in southeast Malta, Tarxien is known for the Tarxien Temple Complex, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Dating from 3150 BC, the complex includes three interconnected temples. The middle temple features a three-apse structure, unique for its period.  Rich and intricate stonework in the form of altars and carved reliefs depict life in the era.  Some of the decorations and reliefs from the Temples are now exhibited in the Archeology Museum in Valetta.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Three Cities (Vittoriosa, Senglea, Cospicua)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"View
View of Senglea Harbor, one of the \u201cThree Cities\u201d of Malta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua, with a total population of 11,000 are known as the Three Cities. The Maltese call this area Cottonera and the cities are sometimes referred to as Birgu, Isla and Bormla, respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oldest of the Three Cities is Vittoriosa, where the Knights of the Order of St John settled in 1530. Vittoriosa is one of Malta\u2019s most frequently visited places and especially beloved by history buffs. The ancient fortress and many other structures are beautifully preserved; the Malta Maritime Museum, the War Shelter, the War Museum, the Inquisitor\u2019s Palace and the Roman-Baroque St Lawrence Church are well worth a visit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set directly opposite the Grand Harbor in Valetta, these picturesque towns are also accessible via boat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mdina<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Narrow
Narrow streests and old houses in Mdina\/Rabat, Malta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tiny Mdina was established in the 8th century BC by Phoenician settlers. As an important religious center throughout history, Paul the Apostle was allegedly shipwrecked here. The cave where he is believed to have taken refuge is known as St. Paul\u2019s Grotto, and  is now one of the most visited faith centers in Mdina.  The St. Agatha and St. Nicholas chapels are also popular sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Mdina\u2019s narrow streets are ideal for walking; except for those with special permits, vehicles are not permitted \u2013 thus Mdina\u2019s nickname, \u201cSilent City\u201d.  Quaint cafes, tea gardens and restaurants, beautiful views and palaces such as the Vilhena, the Falson, the Gatto Murina and the Santa Sofia ensure that visitors are well entertained.  And, in addition to its religious and cultural richness, Mdina has a place in popular culture: the television series, Game of Thrones, used Mdina as the setting for King\u2019s Landing during the show\u2019s first season.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hal Saflieni Hypogeum<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"The
The Sleeping Lady: A unique icon unearthed from the \u0126al Saflieni Hypogeum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The \u0126al Saflieni Hypogeum \u2013 in Greek, hypogeum means \u2018underground\u2019 \u2013 is a Neolithic underground complex in the city of Paola. Dated to 3300-3000 BC, the magnificent structure was accidentally discovered in 1902 during an excavation. Archeologists believe this complex was a faith center and also a necropolis, as human bones were discovered there.  Comprehensive conservation work began in 1991 and the \u0126al Saflieni Hypogeum is one of the most important historical monuments of its period and of Malta.  It was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1980.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The underground complex has been open to visitors since 2017. As one of the most popular sites in Malta, a limited number of visitors are permitted daily and ticket reservations are required. If you want to visit the \u0126al Saflieni Hypogeum, we recommend that you get tickets well in advance.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u0126a\u0121ar Qim\u00a0 and Mnajdra<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\u0126a\u0121ar
\u0126a\u0121ar Qim megalithic temple complex in Malta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overlooking the sea in southern Malta, the clifftop \u0126a\u0121ar Qim  and Mnajdra are megalithic temple complexes. Believed to date from about 3600-3200 BC, the two complexes \u2013 about 500 meters apart \u2013 are among the world\u2019s oldest known religious complexes. They were defined as unique architectural masterpieces by the World Heritage Committee, which determined the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List, and were included in the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List in 1992.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0126a\u0121ar Qim  was built as a single temple.  The columned altar and the altar with two plates are among the temple\u2019s most important historical remains. Statues of voluptuous women, most likely representing fertility and regeneration, and a number of decorated bowls from \u0126a\u0121ar Qim are exhibited today in the National Archeology Museum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With three temples made of hard limestone, the Mnajdra complex is believed to be among the oldest surviving free-standing structures in the world \u2013 older even than the Egyptian pyramids. Illuminated during the spring and fall equinoxes, the southern temple functioned as a solar observatory; this discovery and others in the complex have offered great insight on the island\u2019s Neolithic inhabitants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stories knock at your door!<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You can easily download images, and share on your social media accounts via your smartphone. Just press and hold the story, and save or share the image you have selected via the menu that appears.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a fascinating bridge between the past and the future, Malta\u2019s wealth of historical sites and monuments survived hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years, the remnants of a history spanning 7,000 years. Archeological ruins, palaces, churches, gardens, castles, fortresses\u2026 Since the dawn of history, Malta has been a coveted possession to the dominant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":21811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[744,145,203,228,147],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-21810","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-malta","8":"category-destinations","9":"category-europe","10":"category-historical-places-to-visit-and-routes","11":"category-trip-ideas"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21810"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21810\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.turkishairlines.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}