MALTA: Valletta, the capital city - Ministry Videos

VALLETTA, MALTA'S CAPITAL Valletta shares its early history with the island of Malta. The foundation stone of Valletta was laid by the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, Jean Parisot de la Valette on 28 March 1566.

La Valette placed the first stone in Our Lady of Victories Church. The Order decided to found a new city on the Xiberras peninsula just after the end of the Siege of Malta in 1565, so as to fortify the Order's position in Malta and bind the Knights to the island.

Many of the most important buildings were built by the Maltese architect Gerolamo C!%!#!ar. Valletta is an urban area which boasts many buildings from the 16th century and onwards, many built during the rule of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (the Knights Hospitaller). The Valletta peninsula has two natural harbours, Marsamxett and the Grand Harbour.

The Grand Harbour is Malta's major port, with unloading quays at Marsa. A cruise-liner terminal is located along the old seawall of the Valletta Waterfront which was built by Grandmaster Manuel Pinto de Fonseca. Buildings of historic importance include St John's Co-Cathedral, formerly the Conventual Church of the Knights of Malta. It has the only signed work and largest painting by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The Auberge de Castille et Leon, formerly the official seat of the Knights of Malta of the Langue of Castille, Léon and Portugal, is now the office of the Prime Minister of Malta.

Photos by Choy Hong(Jasmine)Grech
Video by Alfred & Jasmine Grech, Mosta, Malta