A view of the Grand Harbour from the Upper Barracca Gardens, looking over the Saluting Battery towards Vittoriosa.
Valletta is the capital city of Malta and is located in the central-eastern portion of the island. Valletta contains buildings from the 16th century onwards, built during the rule of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (the Knights Hospitaller). The city is essentially Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture in selected areas, though World War II left major scars on the city. The City of Valletta was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city is named for Jean Parisot de la Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion in 1565. The official name given by the Order of Saint John was Humilissima Civitas Valletta — The Most Humble City of Valletta, or Città Umilissima in Italian. The bastions, curtains and ravelins along with the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches, led the ruling houses of Europe to give the city its nickname Superbissima — 'Most Proud'.
Size: 3400px × 5100px
Location: The Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta
Photo credit: © Christopher Woodhouse / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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