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Malta: Day 3: Valletta and Three Cities

Malta is the 8th most densely populated country in the world (1,510 people per km²). Nada and me were there for the third day, and we decided to explore the capital city, Valletta and Three Cities, a collective description of the three fortified cities of Birgu, Senglea and Cospicua, just over the Grand Harbour.

Previous days of our trip to Malta: Day 2 and Day 1.

The Triton Fountain is located on the periphery of the City Gate of Valletta. It consists of three bronze Tritons holding up a huge basin and is one of the most important Modernist landmarks on Malta.

Only the building's foundations, a few photos and a surprising number of authentic opera tickets from sentimental patrons remain of Malta's once gorgeous Royal Opera House, which graced the entrance of the capital Valletta between 1866 and 1942. After several abandoned plans to rebuild the theatre, the ruins were redesigned by the Italian architect Renzo Piano and in 2013 it once again started functioning as a performance venue, called Pjazza Teatru Rjal.

Church of Saint Catherine of Italy (Santa Katerina tal-Italja) serves as the parish church of the Italian community of Malta. The church was built in 1576 by the Italian knights of St .John.

Berġa ta' Kastilja (Auberge de Castille) was originally built in the 1570s to house knights of the Order of Saint John from the langue of Castile, León and Portugal. It now houses the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta.

  

Exploring streets of Valletta

 

Entrance to Church of St Paul's Shipwreck and a fountain on the St. George's Square

Superdog

  

Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Bażilika Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Karmnu), famous Strait Street (Strada Stretta), whose reputation stems from its sheer contrast to the Catholic Malta that encased it, with its drunkenness, rowdiness, prostitution, and even cross-dressing being the nightly routine and typical Maltese Balcony.

Walk along the coast

View over the Grand Harbour to Fort Ricasoli

 

Ileqq ma' truf ghajnejk il-hin li hlejna (The time we wasted glimmers at the end of your eyes).

The foundation stone of Valletta was laid in 1566 and is the smallest capital in the EU.

 

2 photographers on vacation

 

Welcome to Malta

Siege Bell Memorial was designed by Michael Sandle and assembled on the initiative of the George Cross Island Association to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the presentation of this award to Malta.

The Lower Barakka Gardens (Il-Barrakka t'Isfel) 

 

View from the Lower Barakka Gardens to the Grand Harbour and Enea sculpture

Among the trees you can see the temple in classic style that is a monument built in commemoration of Sir Alexander Ball, who led Maltese insurrection against France in 1798.

  

Through the side streets we reached The Lion. In this place there originally were two lion holding the coat of arms of Grand Master Vilhena.

Grandmaster's Palace (Il-Palazz tal-Granmastru) currently houses the Office of the President of Malta.

Saint John's Co-Cathedral (Kon-Katidral ta' San Ġwann) was built by the Order of St. John between 1572 and 1577.

The interior of the church is considered to be one of the finest examples of high Baroque architecture in Europe.

  

Globigerina Limestone with Red additions

The Grand Harbour (il-Port il-Kbir), also known as the Port of Valletta is a natural harbour.

Grand Harbour and Three Cities from Upper Barrakka Gardens

The Upper Barrakka Gardens are located on the upper tier of St. Peter & Paul Bastion, which was built in the 1560s.

 

The gardens were originally used to offer recreation to the knights of the Italian langue of the Order of Saint John, but were opened to the public following the end of the French occupation of Malta in 1800.

Walk in the capital of Malta

The ferry took us from Valletta to Cospicua (Bormla)

Cheap boats

Dgħajsa trip

 

Boats and buildings in a bay between Three Cities

 

View to Valletta with 2 different filters

 

We visited Gardjola Gardens in Senglea's bastions

Another view to The Grand Harbour

View to Fort St. Angelo from Gardjola Gardens

 

The sentry box placed on the tip of the bastion, "il-gardjola", epitomises the role of the fortifications around the harbour. On the sentry box there are sculptured various symbols of watchfulness, namely the eye, the ear, and the crane bird.

The Gardjola Gardens were built by Grandmaster De La Sengle in 1551. The garden itself is small, but it has a spectacular panoramic views over Marsa, Valletta, Grand Harbour and Fort St. Angelo.

 

Exploring the streets of L-Isla (Senglea)

 

Basilica of the Nativity of Mary or Basilica of Our Lady of Victories in Senglea. It was most probably built by the architect Vittorio Cassar in 1580 as a monument to the Christian Victory after the Great Siege of 1565.

 

In front of The Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu. It is housed in the former Royal Naval Bakery, which was built in the 1840s as the main bakery for the Mediterranean Fleet.

Sunset over the Port of Valletta

Valletta from Fort St. Angelo

The Gardjola Gardens and the sentinel tower

Victory Square with St. Lawrence Statue in Birgu (also known by its title Città Vittoriosa ("Victorious City")

 

Collegiate church of Saint Lawrence was  bombed by a German air raid on January 16, 1941. They were both re-built in 1949. On March 22 of the same year the chapel of the blessed Sacrament was destroyed and on April 4, 1942 the dome of the church was destroyed. The chapel was re-built in 1951 and the dome was re-built in 1952. 

 

Selfie for the end

Walk in Three Cities

Over Triton Fountain we returned back to our apartment in Buġibba

GeoCaches found (all received a visit by trackable items "gran san bernardo", TB84C9J, "De reiziger", TB6R4VV and "FarmtagZ klompendans", TB6BAG2):
- Royal Flush, GC51YKC
- Elmo, the Athlete, GC1NZ4G
- Lower Barrakka Gardens and Siege Bell Monument, Multi, GC50VJR
- Bridge Over No Water, GC6G16F
- The Grand Harbour, EarthCache, GC5W6H3
- Bormla Jar, GC5RMNG
- The Guard Tower, GC6BHEX
- Fort St. Angelo, GC7EZ1C
- Sails and Dolphins, GC7M37X