Current Time in Valletta, Malta

Valletta is the capital of Malta, a small island nation in the central Mediterranean situated between Sicily and the North African coast. With a population of only approximately 5,700 within the city walls — making it the smallest capital city in the European Union — but with the broader urban area extending into a continuous conurbation of some 400,000 people across the northeastern part of Malta, Valletta is a city of extraordinary density and historical concentration. Built on a narrow peninsula between two of the finest natural harbors in the Mediterranean, its entire circuit of sixteenth-century fortifications and the planned Baroque grid of streets within constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2018 Valletta served as the European Capital of Culture.

Valletta owes its existence to the Knights of Saint John, the military-religious order that defended the Mediterranean from the expansion of the Ottoman Empire and that ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798. In 1565, the Ottomans besieged Malta with a force of some 40,000 soldiers attempting to dislodge the approximately 6,000 defenders under Grand Master Jean de la Valette. The Great Siege, one of the most dramatic military confrontations of the sixteenth century, lasted from May to September, and the ultimate Ottoman withdrawal was a significant setback for Ottoman expansion into the western Mediterranean. In the immediate aftermath of the siege, the Knights resolved to build an entirely new, purpose-planned fortified city on the Sciberras Peninsula, which had served as a critical observation post during the battle. Grand Master Valette laid the foundation stone of the new city in 1566, and it was named La Valetta in his honor.

The urban plan of Valletta, designed by the Maltese architect Francesco Laparelli with input from Michelangelo, laid out a grid of streets running on an east-west axis to maximize cross-ventilation in the Mediterranean heat. Along these streets, the Knights constructed their auberges (residence halls) — one for each national langue (tongue) of the order — their hospitals, churches, palaces, and the magnificent Co-Cathedral of Saint John. The St. John's Co-Cathedral, begun in 1573 and completed in 1578, is one of the supreme examples of Baroque art and architecture anywhere in the world. Its interior, austerely plain on the outside but of breathtaking richness within, is entirely encrusted with gilded limestone carving, colored marble inlay, and two extraordinary paintings by Caravaggio — The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing — the largest painting the artist ever produced and one of the supreme masterpieces of Baroque painting.

The Grand Master's Palace, now the seat of the President of Malta and the Maltese Parliament, houses the Armoury — one of the finest collections of historical arms and armour in the world, including complete suits of armour and weapons from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries — and the State Rooms decorated with tapestries and paintings celebrating the Knights' history. The Upper Barrakka Gardens and the Lower Barrakka Gardens offer spectacular views over the Grand Harbour, one of the most magnificent natural harbors in the world, and the fortifications of the Three Cities (Birgu, Senglea, and Bormla) that extend across the water.

The National Museum of Archaeology houses an outstanding collection of artifacts from Malta's remarkable prehistoric past, including sculptures from the Ggantija Temples — the oldest free-standing stone structures in the world, predating Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids by a thousand years. The MUZA National Museum of Art presents Maltese and Mediterranean art from the medieval period to the contemporary. The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, several theatres, and a lively contemporary arts scene give Valletta a cultural vitality impressive for a city of its size.

Valletta is connected to Sicily by ferry, to various Mediterranean ports by cruise ships, and to international destinations through Malta International Airport. Its combination of extraordinary fortifications, Baroque art, Mediterranean setting, Knights' heritage, and its remarkable role as the smallest EU capital make it one of Europe's most distinctive and rewarding cities to visit.