Malta is generally described as a sunny tiny island, located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea.
 |
Without any doubts, take it to the bank! But apart from the sun and sea, Malta has something else to offer. There is no other place in the world, where in such a small space so many unique cultural monuments of human history have been concentrated. There were the Carthaginians and Phoenicians, the Roman and the Byzantine Empire, the Arabs, Napoleon and also the British Empire. Each of them has left its mark, which affected Maltese history.
 |
Valletta is the capital of Malta. The construction of this wonderful city was started in 1566, after winning the Order of the Knights over the army of Suleiman the Magnificent. The new city had to be invincible bastion of knights. Valletta was surrounded by an impregnable wall, powerful fortifications were also built. Today the whole of Valletta is an open-air museum. Narrow streets of this city are supposed to be a home to many of the most remarkable buildings in Malta - beautiful palaces and majestic temples. Valletta - is one of the few remaining today medieval walled cities in Europe.
 |
Mdina or "The Silent City". The history of Mdina (the old capital of Malta) has begun more than 4,000 years ago. Even in the Bronze Age a fortified settlement was on the hill where now stands Mdina. The Phoenicians built a city wall around the city for about 1000 years before Christ. The Maltese Nobility has been living in Mdina for centuries even till these days.
 |
Ancient temples. Until recently, the Egyptian pyramids are considered to be the oldest structures on the Earth, but recent studies have shown that the mysterious megalithic sanctuaries in Malta are about 1000 years older than the famous pyramids of Giza. These temples are built of huge stone blocks. To this day it remains a mystery how 6000 or 7000 years ago it was possible to move and even to raise to a height of several meters such gravity. Temples were decorated with stone idols, reliefs depicting animals.