Panoramic view across the hillside Roman Catholic Saint Paul's Cathedral (12th century) at the fortified medieval walled town of Mdina, Malta
Mdina is a fortified city in the Northern Region of Malta. It served as the island's capital from antiquity until 1530, when the capital was moved to Birgu. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the center of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city's walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta's Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly called the "Silent City" by natives and visitors. The town is still confined within its walls, and has a population of just under 300, but it is contiguous with the village of Rabat, which takes its name from the Arabic word for suburb, and has a population of over 11,000. Evidence of settlements in Mdina goes back to over 4000 BC. It was possibly first fortified by the (Phoenicians) around 700 BC, because of its strategic location on one of the highest points on the island and as far from the sea as possible. When Malta had been under the control of the Roman Empire, the Roman Governor built his palace there. Legend has it that it was here, in around 60 CE, that Paul the Apostle lived after his shipwreck on the islands. Mdina owes its present architecture to the Arab period, from 870 until the Normans conquered Malta in 1091. They surrounded the city with thick defensive fortifications and a wide moat, separating it from its nearest town, Rabat. In 1429, Hafsid Saracens attempted to take the city but were repelled by its defenders.[ When the Order of Saint John arrived in Malta on 26 October 1530, Grandmaster Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam promised to uphold the rights of the Maltese people, and was given the keys of Mdina. The Order went on to settle in Birgu, and Mdina lost its status as capital city. The nobility of Mdina were rather hostile to the Order since they lost most of their power over the rest of the population.
Size: 3840px × 5760px
Location: Saint Paul's Cathedral, Mdina, Isle of Malta, Malta, Southern Europe
Photo credit: © DE ROCKER / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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