Mdina
Mdina is one of the few great architectural treats in Malta that did not result from the activities
of the Knights of St John. The oldest city on the island, going back to pre-historic times, the word Mdina derives from the Arabic word 'medina' which means 'city'. Mdina was fortified in medieval times, but its protection in early times must have been its high location on a rocky crag. It is certain that either during the Byzantine or during the Arab occupation of Malta, the fortifications were retracted to the present proportions, perhaps for better defensibility. It is during this time, when the city was referred to as the 'medina', that Mdina got its name. The Arab legacy continued even though the Arabs were officially expelled from Malta in 1250 when the Islands were under Christian rule. Thus the name 'Mdina' survived even though the City was referred to as 'Civitas' (city in Latin) or 'Gitta Notabile'.
Today Mdina is a major tourist attraction recognised internationally as an important UNESCO heritage site.
The Norman House
Palazzo Faison, generally known as the Norman House, is the best-preserved medieval building in Mdina. Built in 1495, it was occupied by the first Grand Master in Malta, L'lsle Adam. when the Knights arrived here in 1530.
Archbishop's Palace
Mdina has always been the seat of the Bishop of Malta. The Archbishop's Palace, which was built in 1722, serves as the residence of the Archbishop of Malta.
Banca Giuratale
After Grandmaster Vilhena confiscated the original Ministerial Palace for his own use, the Universita (local government) found its new seat in this building. During the revolt against the French, a national assembly came together here.
Vilhena Palace
Vilhena Palace has a fine baroque facade and an impressive entrance courtyard, both of which one notices on the right, when entering Mdina through Notabile Gate.
Palazzo Santa Sophia
The basement of this house is assumed to be the oldest in "Siculo-Norman" style and dates back to 1233.
Mdina Cathedral Museum
Originally a seminary, the museum today is one of the most outstanding religious museums in Europe. A small chapel is found on the second floor exhibiting church vestments. It also exhrbits an impressive cross-section of sacred art, famous paintings, a coin collection, Roman antiquities, and original documents from the time of the Inquisition.
Cathedral of St. Paul
The skyline of Mdina, with its baroque cathedral, bastions and palaces, is an imposing landmark visible throughout central Malta, The Cathedral is the architectural heart of this elegant, walled city, and ties on the site of a much earlier Norman church destroyed by a violent earthquake in 1693.
Rabat
Howard Gardens
Howard Gardens are one of the biggest public gardens in Malta. These gardens form a natural border between Rabat and neighbouring Mdina.
St. Paul's Catacombs
The Maltese Islands are rich in late Roman and Byzantine burial sites. St Paul's Catacombs are a typical complex of interconnected, underground Roman cemeteries that were in use up to the 4th century AD. St Paul's Catacombs represent the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta.
The Roman Domus
The mosaic pavements In the 'Roman house' at Rabat rank among the finest and oldest mosaic compositions from the western Mediterranean, alongside those of Pompeii and Sicily. They were discovered in 1881 just outside Mdina in the remains of a rich and sumptuously decorated town house of the Roman period.
Casa Testaferrata
This house was the seat of the old noble family Testaferrata. Historians believe that in Roman times, on the site of this building there was a temple dedicated to Apollo.
Palazzo Gatto Murina
Palazza Gatto Murina, one of the earliest ‘Siculo-Norman’ structures (i.e. built between 1100 and 1530), was erected during the latter part of the 14th century. An audiovisual show “Tales of the Silent City” is housed inside the Palazzo.
Xara Palace
The Xara Palace is a small Relais & Chateaux hotel. The history of the late 27th Century Xara Palace is inextricably part of the city walls that make up its impressive bastions.
Casa Inguanez
This is the palace of the oldest noble family of Malta, and was originally built in 1370. The house contains numerous paintings and valuable documents.
St. Paul’s Catacombs
The Maltese islands are rich in late Roman and Byzantine burial sites. St. Paul’s Catacombs are a typical complex of interconnected, underground Roman cemeteries that were in use up to the 4th century AD. St Paul’s Catacombs represent the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta.
The Roman Domus
The mosaic pavements in the ‘Roman house’ at Rabat rank among the finest and oldest mosaic compositions from the western Mediterranean, alongside those of Pompeii and Sicily. They were discovered in 1881 just outside Mdina in the remains of a rich and sumptuously decorated town house of the Roman period.
Source: Sky life, March 2007
