This region of Malta stretches from the Victoria lines to the Valletta conurbation. The area comprises moderate hills, cultivated fields and farms, villages and towns. Central Malta has in recent years become one of the fastest growing regions on the island. There are a number of wonderful medieval cities and towns here that should not be missed by any visitor to the island.
Apart from having the only relatively untouched medieval city on the island, Mdina, this region also possesses several parks and gardens worth seeing. There is no shortage of historical buildings, museums and churches to visit in Central Malta and there are plenty of opportunities for activities such as cycling, horse riding, tennis and squash.
MDINA, THE OLD CAPITAL
Only 10km (6 miles) west of Valletta, Mdina is situated on a high ridge in the centre of the island. It is one of the most beautiful, and oldest cities on Malta. The city’s name is taken from the Arabic word Medina which means simply, city or town. It is thought to have been populated by the Phoenicians in approximately 1000BC. When the Romans took control of Malta, the governor liked Mdina so much that he decided to base the government in the city and had his palace constructed here.
This 3000-year-old city, once the political centre of Malta, is filled with Norman and baroque buildings and narrow cobblestone streets. Perched on a rocky outcrop about 15km (9mi) west of Valletta, the so-called Citta Notabile – Noble City – has a commanding view of the island. Its nickname derives from the many aristocratic Maltese families who still live in town. The best-preserved medieval building is the Norman-style Palazzo Falzon, built in 1495. Mdina has a beautiful main piazza, where you’ll find the 11th-century Roman Catholic Sicula-Norman Cathedral, one of the few buildings to survive an earthquake in 1693. The cathedral museum houses a collection of Dürer woodcuts. The nearby suburb of Rabat (which translates roughly as ‘suburb’) has the interesting Museum of Roman Antiquities, which offers exhibits on the island’s 1000 years under Roman rule.
When the Saracens arrived on the islands in about 870AD, they surrounded the city with thicker walls which separated it from its nearest neighbour Rabat. The magnificent fortifications have survived intact and a complete wall still stands. The city has always been home to important families and people of distinction. The first bishop of Malta, Publius, who was converted to Christianity by Saint Paul, lived here. There was an earthquake in 1693 which caused much damage to the city but today Mdina still exudes a renaissance-like atmosphere, retaining much of its magnificent historical architecture despite some damage sustained in the bombing during WWII. Indeed, taking a stroll through this quiet city (it is also known as the silent city), is like taking a trip back in time. The inhabitants number just under 500. There is very little traffic within its confines due to the fact that only residents are allowed to drive into the city. There is an absence of the overt commercialism you see on the streets of most European cities today except for a few gift shops and restaurants.
Mdina is perched on a high plateau towering over the rest of the island. It was once Malta’s capital and the citadel is one of the finest surviving examples of a medieval walled city. The town is entered by a stone drawbridge which leads to a maze of narrow streets, lined with churches, monasteries and palaces, connected by tiny piazzas. Of particular interest is the Norman-style Palazzo Faisan which has a collection of antique weapons and pottery, a cathedral, and a museum that still houses a magnificent collection of art treasures, survivals from the sacking which the town suffered at the hands of the French in the 18th century. From Bastion Square the visitor has a breathtaking view of the surrounding fields and villages, and also of St Paul’s Bay.
St Paul’s Metropolitan Cathedral
The 1693 earthquake razed the old cathedral of Mdina to the ground. It had been built in the 13th century and representations of how it looked can be seen in the Grand Masters’ Palace in Valletta in the form of frescos by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio. However, the famous local architect Lorenzo Gafä set to work on a new cathedral for the city and in less than 10 years after the earthquake a new baroque cathedral graced Mdina.
The cathedral’s magnificent dome towers over the surrounding plains of Central Malta and the piazza complements it perfectly. The interior is a grand feast for the eyes. There are gilded carvings, wonderfully decorated side chapels, and many paintings depicting scenes from the life of St Paul including one that survived the earthquake of 1693: Mattia Pretti’s The Shipwreck of StPaul. Look out too for works housed in the church by Mario Caffaro Rore.
Cathedral Museum
The treasures that were saved from the first Mdina cathedral (demolished in the earthquake of 1693), are kept in a former diocesan seminary. There is a wealth of fine art here with collections of paintings, prints, woodcuts and drawings by the old masters. Some superb woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer, the influential artist of Reformation Germany and engravings by Rembrandt are to be seen here. The magnificent 14th century St Paul Polyptych depicting various occurrences during the saints life, and which once graced the old cathedral’s altar, can also be admired here at the museum. The refectory of the old seminary and 18th century octagonal chapel have been preserved. In addition to the art on show, there are also some other magnificent exhibits, including a coin collection spanning 2,000 years. Among the many coins are a complete set of Roman coins minted on the islands.
Vilhena Palace (Palazzo Vilhena), St Publius Square
The palace, with its fine sculpted doorway displaying the coat of arms of its builder Grand MasterManoel de Vilhena, is now a magisterial building and houses several interesting attractions. The Museum of Natural History is a large, well laid-out series of exhibits featuring local fossils and wildlife. Public torture was only abolished by the Governor of Malta in 1813 and gory wax representations of such scenes can be seen at the Mdina Dungeons, the most macabre museum in Malta. These dungeons were used to torture and imprison people from the Middle Ages until the governor’s abolishment. Some of the original torture instruments are exhibits. The dungeons lie beneath the Vilhena Palace.
The Palazzo Falzon, Villegainon Street
This splendid, aristocratic mansion offers the visitor to Mdina a rare chance to see how the Maltese nobility lives. The palace has a fine collection of art and antiques. The ‘Norman House’ was built in 1495 and is very well preserved. It houses a private museum and the rooms are filled with ceramics, paintings, antiques, lithographs and weaponry.
Mesquita Square
In this square one can visit the Mdina Experience, an audio-visual presentation dedicated to the history of the city. The tour incorporates a multivision show in a 68 seater auditorium, accompanied by narrative that takes you through the historical development of Mdina.
The Tower of the Old Standard
The city’s main police station is located in a 16th century watch tower, the Tower of the Old Standard, located just left of the city’s Main Gate.
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