Portal:Malta
The Malta PortalMalta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a small island nation comprising an archipelago of seven islands (Malta, Gozo (Għawdex) Comino (Kemmuna) Filfla, Cominotto (Kemmunett) Manoel, Selmunett (St.Paul's Islands)) in the Mediterranean Sea. A country of Southern Europe, Malta lies south of Sicily, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The country's official languages are Maltese and English. Roman Catholicism is the most practised religion. The islands constituting the Maltese nation have been ruled by various powers and fought over by many states for centuries. Malta has been a member state of the European Union (EU) since 2004 and it is currently the smallest EU country both in population and in area.
Selected ArticleJean Parisot de Valette (born in 1494[?]; died in Malta, 21 August 1568) was born into a noble family in Quercy. He was a Knight of St. John all his adult life, joining the order in the Langue de Provence, and fought with distinction against the Turks at Rhodes and again at Malta. He became Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller on 21 August 1557.Universally referred to as "La Valette," he was never actually called that during his lifetime. He was simply Jean de Valette, nicknamed Parisot.(The mistake arose some decades after his death when people began to confuse him with the city named in his honor, "La Citta Valletta.") Although his birth year is usually given as 1494, both chroniclers of the Great Siege of Malta, Francisco Balbi di Correggio and Hipolito Sans, say he was 67 at the time, implying that he was born in 1498. In his history of the Order of St John, the 18th-century historian, the Abbe Vertot (whose history is largely based on - but often confuses - the earlier one of Giacomo Bosio), indicates that Valette was indeed the same age as both Suleiman I and Lala Mustafa (the commander of the Ottoman land forces), which would mean that he was actually 70 years old at the time of the Siege. (more...) Selected LocalityMdina (also called L-Imdina or Città Notabile) is the old capital of Malta. It is a medieval town, with narrow quiet streets, situated in the centre of the island. It is also known as the "Silent City". It commands a magnificent view of the Island. Evidence for settlement in Mdina goes back to over 4000 BCE. It was first fortified by the Phoenicians around 700 BC, probably because of its strategic location on one of the highest points on the island and as far from the sea as possible. When Malta came under control of the Roman Empire, the Roman Governor built his palace there. It was here in 60 CE that the Apostle St Paul is said to have lived after being shipwrecked on the Islands. The city earned its present day name from the Saracens who came to Malta around 870 CE. They surrounded the city with thick defensive walls and a wide moat, separating it from its nearest town, Rabat. (more...) Selected PicturePhoto credit: jkb
March 31, 1979 is remembered in the Maltese calendar as Freedom Day (Maltese: Jum il-Ħelsien). This is the anniversary of the withdrawal of British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta. The government of the day alleged that the military base was closed after the United Kingdom refused to pay the emphyteusis due to Malta in 1979; however, the contract between Malta and the United Kingdom was due for termination on April 1, 1979. Did you knowUNESCO World Heritage SitesCategoriesSelect [►] to view subcategories
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