The Concierge Corner
If you're not yet sure where to visit on your trip to Malta or want to learn more about the island, we've got you covered! We've asked our concierge team to share with you their expert insights about Malta and the country's history.
Marsaxlokk
The fishing village of Marsaxlokk offers one of Malta's best known Markets. The market is available every Sunday between 07:00 and 13:00 and there's no better place to stop for some fresh fish for lunch right after visiting the market.
Prehistoric Temples
The first human presence in Malta dates back 5,900 years BC. However, as time went by, the weather became too dry for human habitation.
It took 1,000 years for the land to become habitable again, and new settlers came to live permanently on this small island. This colony displayed great physical strength in its temples made of large stones and creative and artistic skills.
Examples of both temples and artefacts can still be seen today either in prehistoric sites or museums.
St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta
The Co-Cathedral was built between 1572 and 1577. It is the resting place of many Grandmasters as well as Knights who passed away with honour. As you walk inside, you can see tombstones laid in every part of the marbled floor. There are also nine richly-decorated chapels arranged around the sides, eight of them representing the 8 countries the Knights came from, and the ninth dedicated to Our Lady of Philarmos, the patron saint of the Order.
The Co-Cathedral is home to one of the most famous works by Caravaggio, an Italian painter who was very famous at the time. This painting is a representation of the beheading of St John, and it is the only painting by Caravaggio that bears his signature.
An interesting fact is that on the façade of the Co-Cathedral you can find three clocks on one of its towers showing the time, current day and week.
Malta's Capital - Valletta
Grand Master Jean Parisot De La Valette dreamt of building another fortified city in Malta, and asked Pope Pius IV to assist with the financing. Architect Francesco Lapparelli was commissioned by the Pope to design the walls and streets, and Girolamo Cassar, his assistant eventually took over Lapparelli’s work after the latter was recalled to Italy for another project.
The first foundation stone was laid in Valletta in the year 1566. The plan was to design a layout that would confuse the enemy should there be another battle in the future. If you take a good look at the map you can see that it was built in the form of a grid so that the Knights could easily surround the enemy and have an advantage over them.
Visit any of the below sites to learn more about Valletta's history: