Many people call Malta a toy country. Indeed, on this island there are no mountains, no rivers, and a village here is considered a village in several streets. But, despite this, for many centuries this state has been at the center of many dramatic events taking place in Europe. These three small islands incorporate rich culture and history. And on the whole Earth there is no such corner where so many inimitable cultural monuments were concentrated on such a small territory. Therefore, the sights of Malta are a centuries-old history of all of Europe.
And the inspection of this state begins with one of the most beautiful cities in the Mediterranean, the capital of Malta - the city of Valletta. This is one of several medieval walled cities that have survived to this day in Europe. And Valletta is a unique city, Malta's attractions are waiting for tourists here at almost every corner. A significant part of modern Valletta is a complex of medieval defensive structures and buildings. Moreover, many of these structures are still used, but as entertainment and cultural facilities.
In Valletta, Malta's attractions are concentrated, such as, for example, the Palace of the Grand Master, which today serves as the residence of the president of the country and the seat of parliament of this state. Also in this city are advised to see the Cathedral of St. John, the Palace of Castilla, the fort of Saint Elmo, the Armory of the Knights, the Palace of Provence, which houses the Archaeological Museum, and the Palace of Parisio. And in the Admiralty of Valletta is now located the Museum of Fine Arts.
But not all the sights of Malta are in its capital. Also noteworthy is the ancient capital of this state, the city of Mdina. Its history begins over 4 thousand years ago. In those days, in the Bronze Age, a fortified settlement was located on this place. Then, a thousand years BC, the Phoenicians built a city wall around Mdina. And in this city for all these centuries Malta has lived to know the state. The sights of this city allow you to mentally go back five centuries and imagine the life of a medieval city. Walking along the walls of the fortress, through the narrow streets of Mdina, you should see the Cathedral of St. Paul, the Palace of Inguanets, the Greek Gate, the Palace of St. Sophia and the main gate of Mdina. Also in this “Silent City” is the Carmelite Church, the Norman House, the Palace of Vilen, the Palace of the Archbishop and the dungeon of Mdina.
Until recently, it was believed that the Egyptian pyramids are the oldest surviving structures on earth. But, according to recent research by scientists, the mysterious megalithic shrines located in Malta turned out to be a thousand years older than the most ancient pyramids. These temples are decorated with reliefs depicting animals and stone idols. And on their altars you can often find spiral motifs. The most interesting of these shrines are the temples of Mnaidra, Hajar Im and Tarshin. Mysterious and original furrows that are hollowed out in the rocks are also mysterious. They are found in various places on the island of Malta. Attractions, photos of which are below, are not found anywhere else.
Tourists will also be interested in visiting three cities located south of Valletta. These are Senglea, Cospicua and Vittorioza. It was here that the knights of the Order of Malta settled when they first arrived in Malta. And these are the only cities still preserved in Europe that were protected by two rows of fortress walls. They also have many exceptional architectural monuments, such as the Palace of the Inquisitors, the Palace of the Bishop, Fort St. Angelo, the Church of the Annunciation, the Maritime Museum and the Church of St. Lawrence.