Mdina is the former capital of Malta with many beautiful monuments. Fortified, with narrow, winding streets, it is sometimes called the City of Silence due to the fact that car traffic is forbidden here.
The origins of Mdina go back to ancient times. Ok. 700 BC the settlement was founded here by the Phoenicians. The site was strategically perfectly suited, on a hill, with excellent views in all directions, and away from the coast, making it difficult to attack. To this day, tourists admire not only the beautiful monuments, but also the views that cover a large part of Malta. You can admire them, among others from the vantage point on Bastion Square.
The Old Town of Mdina is a remarkable mixture of Romanesque and Baroque buildings. They are surrounded by Mdina's fortifications with bastions, the city gate in Mdina and the green space between the two zones of the walls. In turn, Mdina is separated from the neighboring town of Rabat by Howard's Gardens with citrus trees and walking paths.
The most important monument of the city is the Cathedral in Mdina dedicated to St. Paul. The building alludes to the Apostle's stay in Malta during one of his missionary journeys. The Cathedral Museum, which also includes Norman Underground Crypts, is located next to the baroque, ornate temple. Other valuable churches in the Old Town include the Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady, the Carmelite Chapel, and the Chapel of St. Roch.
Due to its long history and great importance for the whole of Malta, there are several interesting museums in Mdina. About the Roman past of Malta, I would like to remind you of the Domus Romana Museum, a reconstructed house of a Roman aristocrat. Finds from excavations from the vicinity of Mdina are presented here. The Falson Palace Museum, located in the 13th century building, collects interior furnishings and handicrafts from the period from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The National Museum of Natural History is located in the baroque palace of the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller.
