Mdina

Mdina is a fortified historic city in central Malta and the island’s former capital. Its medieval streets and quiet character have earned it the nickname “Silent City.”

Melite: Melite was the ancient Roman settlement on the site of modern Mdina and Rabat. Roman Melite occupied the hill before Mdina took its medieval form.
Mdina Gate: Mdina Gate is the main entrance through the city’s fortified walls, rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1724. The gate provides the ceremonial approach through Mdina’s defensive perimeter.
Rabat, Malta: Rabat is a town adjoining Mdina, with archaeological and religious sites linked to Malta’s Roman and Christian history. The former suburbs outside Mdina’s walls developed into the neighboring town.
Birgu: Birgu is a fortified city in Malta’s Grand Harbour that served as the Knights Hospitaller’s base before Valletta. The order’s move to Birgu displaced Mdina as the seat of government.
Arab rule in Malta: Arab rule in Malta lasted from the ninth century until the Norman conquest in 1091. Arab rulers reshaped the settlement and separated Mdina from nearby Rabat.
Mdina bastions: Mdina’s bastions are projecting defensive works built into the city’s fortifications. Their ramparts overlook the surrounding countryside and reveal the city’s military design.
St Paul's Catacombs: St Paul’s Catacombs are an extensive late Roman and early Christian underground cemetery in Rabat, Malta. They extend the historical landscape immediately beyond Mdina’s walls.
Valletta: Valletta is Malta’s fortified capital, founded by the Knights Hospitaller after the Great Siege of 1565. Valletta replaced Mdina as Malta’s political center and maritime capital.
Norman conquest of Malta: The Norman conquest brought Malta under Christian rule in 1091. The conquest began a new period in Mdina’s political and religious history.
St Paul's Cathedral, Mdina: St Paul’s Cathedral is a Baroque Roman Catholic cathedral in Mdina, built after the 1693 earthquake. The cathedral dominates the city’s central square and its post-earthquake skyline.

Linked from 2 pages