It is not easy to follow the itinerary of visit that is intertwined several times between the different side chapels of the Church.
LA VALLETTA GUIDA VIAGGIO FULL
Once inside you are absolutely amazed by the beauty, the splendor, the richness of the interior that leaves the visitor full of amazement. The entrance to the Cathedral is instead located on Republic Street. John Square, is in neoclassical style and includes a 61-meter-tall bell tower. Freedom Square and Parlament BuildingĬontinuing on to Republic Street you reach the Saint John’s Cathedral, surely the most beautiful and representative monument of Malta. The square was inaugurated in 2016 and is the work of the Italian architect Renzo Piano who is also responsible for the construction of the modern Parliament Building (photo 2), built entirely of local limestone. The Triton Fountain is a bronze work depicting three tritons, returned to its ancient beauty after a complex restoration operation completed at the beginning of 2018.Īfter this square, you can take Republic Street, one of the main streets of the city, to reach Freedom Square. The starting point of the visit can only be the Triton Fountain ( photo 1), the best access point of the city where there is the bus station that connects the capital with the main towns of the island (Sliema, San Julien, Mdina, Rabat) and with the airport. Valletta is a very small European capital that can be visited within 1-2 days.
It is a symbol present everywhere, in churches, along the streets but also in the various souvenirs on sale in shops and on stalls. The most accredited theory links the eight points of the cross to the eight languages of the order. The meaning of the eight points is not certain. Its emblem, the eight-pointed cross (or Maltese cross), has very ancient origins, probably based on the crosses used in the First Crusade. It is a Knigthly Order with some rights of sovereignty recognized in over 80 States, whose history is intertwined with that of the Knights Templar, the Holy Grail and much more.
Malta, as we know, is the place of foundation of the Knights Hospitallers, known today as Knights of Malta, a religious knightly order born in the eleventh century to protect pilgrims heading to the Holy Land during the Crusades. Malta is also a bit of Sicily, for its Baroque, its white houses, with places and restaurants that, more than the fish and chips of British tradition, make you savor Sicilian specialties like ricotta, cannoli, caponata, cassatine.Īnd then, to season everything, a little mystery. Malta, also for these reasons, is a privileged place for the study holidays of the youngsters who come here to learn English here during the summer months. The typical English elements are recognized very early, with the left-hand drive of the cars, the typical telephone booths and the red mailboxes, the English language that is commonly used by the inhabitants (although the official language of the island is the Maltese). Malta represents a piece of England in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea from which it gained full independence only in 1964, remaining however a member of the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, my visit, for reasons of time, has focused only on the capital, Valletta, less than 7,000 inhabitants, founded in the 16th century by the Knights Hospitallers who gave it the name of their Grand Master, Jean de la Valette. All of this is Malta, a very little island, a beautiful summer vacation spot that also offers art, culture and a rich history of mysteries and events. Take the English traditions and habits, add a little Sicilian culture and art, mix it all in the blue Mediterranean sea, at the end put on it a nice sprinkle of history and mysteries.
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