WHERE
ON EARTH
IS
MALTAFrank L. Scicluna Dip.T. Sec., J.P.
(Adelaide, Australia)
It's not unusual to get a sort of a puzzled expression on many faces when you mention the word Malta. You expect some people to say - "I've heard of Malta or I have met a Maltese but I don't exactly know where or what it is." If you ask them to have a guess, they might place Malta in Africa, or maybe in the Middle East.GEOGRAPHY
It's such a small place. It is just an archipelago of islands about halfway between the coasts of Sicily and North Africa. Set in the clear blue Mediterranean Sea, the Maltese islands are the most southerly European country. The archipelago consists of five islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino, together with two other uninhabited islands Cominetto and Filfla. The total area is approximately 316 sq kms (Malta 246 sq km, Gozo 67 sq km, Comino 2.7 sq km). The longest distance in Malta from North West to South East is about 27 km, with 14.5 kms width in an East - West direction. The Islands are only 90 km south of Sicily and 290 km from the northern coast of Africa.
HISTORY
The strategic position of Malta, Gozo and Comino has made these Mediterranean islands a crossroad of history and a bone of contention. The powers of Europe's past knew it well as a stepping-stone between Europe and North Africa. Involved in Malta's history are the Stone-Age and Bronze-Age people, Romans and Phoenicians, Arabs, Normans and Carthaginians, Castilians, French and British; from whom Malta became independent in 1964. Napoleon Bonaparte did unutterable damage in an only six-day occupation; and Malta stood firm against Hitler despite massive bombing during World War II, deservedly earning the nation the George Cross medal from King George VI (April 1942) and depicting it on the left hand corner of the flag.
THE KNIGHTS
The Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, a religious and multinational order of soldiers and hospitallers, have had a significant influence in the history of Malta. You might recognise the Maltese Cross, which is the insignia of the Knights of Malta. And you've heard of the Maltese falcon—the Mediterranean peregrine falcon—which was the annual rent required by Roman Emperor Charles V when he donated the Island to the Knights in 1530.
The Knights were not altogether pleased with the gift of these little islands, which were no kind of natural paradise. The Knight found the land is rugged, dry and rocky, though these days barely in evidence in its natural form because Malta is one of the world's most densely populated countries in the world (population - 366 000). It takes no more than approximately an hour to drive between any two points on the main island and that is achieved without ever breaking out into wide-open spaces; the island is virtually solid with jumbles of buildings built of native white limestone.
The Knights of St John of Jerusalem, however, left the most physical mark on Malta, after successfully defended it from the power-hungry Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1565. The Knights were in charge of the island for 270 years, building magnificent churches and lavish monuments to themselves—each nationality had its own palace (AUBERGES) —before losing power to the Napoleon Bonaparte and the French empire in 1889.
FISHING VILLAGES
There are some spots that offer the more familiar characteristic of a Mediterranean island. Marsaxlokk, Marsascala and Birzebbuga, for example, are the country's fishing meccas. These are villages in the south-east where tourists and locals alike idle in harbour-side cafes; colourful boats called 'luzzus' dance on the water, protected by eyes of Osiris painted on their bows; fishing nets of fine nylon are laid out on the pavement to dry or rest in what looks like impossibly tangled piles, yet easily unfurled by fishermen. These lovely villages seem removed from the hustle and bustle of the island and its rich history.
Malta boasts its cultural richness, not only from its friendly and over-welcoming people but from its centuries-old history, culture and megalithic sites which are unique in this world. No wonder it has been called 'the open-air museum of the Mediterranean.' The legacy of its long history includes prehistoric ruins older than Stonehenge and the Pyramid of Giza and cart-ruts dug in rocks of equal age and sites visited by Saint Paul (60 AD), whose shipwreck on the island brought Christianity to this staunch Roman Catholic country. Paul's visit to the island is recorded in the New Testament.
CAPITAL CITY
The Knights, particularly Grand Master Jean La Vallette, were responsible for the establishment of the historical old city of Valletta soon after the defeat of the Ottoman the Turk. Valletta was to be, decreed La Vallette himself, "a city built by gentlemen, for gentlemen." Valletta, considered the world's first planned community, was heavily fortified with bastions rising sternly from the sea-water all around it. A sightseeing cruise of the Grand Harbour and tributaries offers a vivid impression of the seriousness of the walled city's intent.
Appropriately, Malta could be part of a European tour or visited during a Mediterranean cruise. Valletta is an ideal cruise port with its natural beauty. Malta's capital city is a small, walkable city, its narrow and sometimes steep streets thick with European-style palaces and churches, can be easily seen and enjoyed in a day. Near the city's main gate is what little is left of the Opera House, once an magnificent opera theatre designed by E.M. Barry, architect of London's Royal Opera House. It was bombed and completely destroyed in 1942 during World War II. Fortunately, not all Malta's sites suffered the same destruction.
The Upper Barrakka Gardens offers a splendid view of the magnificent Grand Harbour. The Grand Masters' Palace in the heart of the city is suitably impressive for the distinguished dignitaries with two courtyards, a tapestry room with hangings depicting fanciful scenes of the West Indies, a throne room; and an armory in the former stable. The Manoel Theatre is a gilded and splendid treasure still in use. It was designed after Italy's Palermo theatre and built by the Knights in 1731.
The most impressive sight in Valletta is the baroque Co-Cathedral of St. John's, with its floor covered with 369 inlaid marble tombstones and a painting by Caravaggio in the oratory. The original cathedral is situated in the former capital city of Mdina. Valletta's cathedral is dedicated to the Knights' patron saint, John the Baptist—whose life is depicted in paintings around the enormous vault—the church embodied the wealth and power of the Knights of Malta who are members of e religious order traditionally professed Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.
The Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta is one of city's most impressive restorations. Built as a hospital in the 1500s by the Knights it was elegantly restored to practical use as a conference venue and a museum. The wards—great sweeping halls with vaulted ceilings and marble floors—now are exhibition areas and a modern theatre has been added. Here, one may see the Malta Experience, an audio-visual presentation about Malta's intricate and colourful history.
NEOLITHIC TEMPLES
On the islands of Malta and Gozo there is a unique concentration of prehistoric sites - magnificent edifices, both above and below ground, monumental temples, elaborate stone carvings, enigmatic cartruts, Neolithic and Bronze Age artefacts and implements. The megalithic temples are estimated to be one thousand years older than the pyramids at Giza. They are, in fact, considered to be the earliest freestanding stone buildings known to mankind and the oldest space-enclosing architecture still in existence, predating England's Stonehenge, the palaces of Crete and King Solomon's Temple. These and many more make the Maltese archipelago an archaeological museum of unique proportions.
The ruins of the Neolithic Temples at Hagar Qim are among the most imposing of the country's 30 prehistoric sites which date from about 3600 to 3200 BC. Two other prehistoric temples are situated at Ggantija on the island of Gozo, a short ferry ride away. These temples are still shrouded in mysteries, with their great stone portals and various altars, though prehistoric man is believed to have worshipped goddesses of fertility within their thick walls.
MOSTA CHURCH
All over the country, Malta's riches are represented by its numerous churches, the centre of every Maltese town and village. They are the focal point of the nation's many festas and festivals. St. Mary's Church in Mosta is one of the largest in Europe. It has a glorious, airy blue, gold and white dome and its own miracle: On April 9, 1942 at 4:40 p.m., with over 300 people in the church praying, a bomb penetrated through the dome and landed on the mosaic floor. But it did not explode. A replica of the bomb is displayed in the sacristy of the church.
CITY OF RABAT
In the city of Rabat one can find a small, dark cave (grotto) in which St. Paul recovered from the trauma of his shipwreck mishap; and the House of Publius, considered to be the first church in Malta. According to a persistent legend it was here the Roman governor Publius brought St. Paul to preach his gospel. Rabat is also known for its many underground catacombs, intricate mazes of rocks and tunnels from which all remains have been removed, though one's imagination might wander in picturing them in their rocky resting places.
NOBLE CITY
Mdina, called the noble or the whisper city, is the original capital city of Malta. It is situated on the highest point in the Island's centre. It was originally a Roman town, then Arabic, then Norman, each ethnic group wiping out traces of the last. What remained is an elegant and unique walled medieval town unequalled in Europe. Mdina was home to Maltese nobility during the Knights' reign. Never deemed worthy of being invited into the Order, the nobility retired to Mdina under autonomous rule while the Knights lived in Valletta. Mdina is in a state of both picturesque decay and rebirth, as rich Maltese are moving in, restoring and renovating the centuries old houses.
Only residents' cars are allowed within the city walls, so it is pleasant to stroll the quiet narrow, twisting streets. The walk-through medieval times offers a glimpse of life in Malta in the middle ages. There is the graphic Mdina Dungeons, a museum of torture and inquisition; it appeals especially to those with a taste for the bizarre. Better still, simply linger over a cup of coffee and an ice-cream at the Fontanella atop the bastions and enjoy a view of the island and lots of deep blue sea.
MALTESE LANGUAGE
The two official languages are Maltese and English. The English language is a leftover of about 160 years of British colonisation of Malta. Maltese, whose closest languages are Lebanese, Hebrew and classic Arabic, is the only Semitic language which is written in Roman alphabet. Italian, too, is widely spoken among the younger generation, particularly due to the television programs which are transmitted from nearby Italy. It is easy to get a language guide and Maltese is interesting enough to make a little effort very worthwhile a few words taken back with you are a very beautiful 'souvenir' of your visit.
Tourism is the one of the most lucrative industry, the Maltese people have a friendly and welcoming way about them. At celebrations for the feast of St. Paul on the 10th of February, the locals proudly relate their immortal history to visitors as a procession with the statute of St Paul passes by.
THE ISLE OF GOZO
Malta's sister island is called Gozo (Ghawdex). The ferry to Gozo, Malta's sister island, takes about 20 minutes and is free going. A helicopter offers a great view of the Calypso Island. Among Gozo's beautiful sights are the Citadel in capital city - Rabat (Victoria). Within the Citadel you may visit the a number of interesting museum including the Folklore Museum, a hodgepodge of interesting artefacts. The Azure Window, a natural stone arch; and the prehistoric ruins of Megalithic Temples of Ggantija and the Basilica of Ta' Pinu are the main attractions of this unique island. Gozo is slower-paced and more rural than Malta and a popular getaway for well-heeled visitors.
Malta is indeed a different place - a place which must be known to be understood and understood to be enjoyed.
E-mail to: Frank L. Scicluna
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