Mdina, or Medina in the Italianized form, is the ancient capital of Malta, a city where a few hundred people now live (350 according to the latest census), but which preserves the vestiges of a past as ancient as it is glorious, which has seen the peoples of the Mediterranean through its narrow streets over the course of almost 30 centuries of history.
The Mdina area is a region of the island of Malta where archaeological evidence has demonstrated an uninterrupted presence of human settlements since the 1000th millennium BC. The first traces of the city date back to XNUMX BC when the Phoenicians settled on the entire island and, from that moment on, Mdina was a crossroads of peoples, cultures, clashes and meetings and, it is said, even that the apostle Paul he found refuge there after a shipwreck.
The current appearance of Mdina is mainly due to Arab domination, period in which the city walls were built, thus creating the foundations of the urban center developed around it, Rabat. The other great moment of development of the city was during the 1693th-XNUMXth centuries, when the Knights of Malta, the knights of the order of St. John, settled there, acting as a catalyst for urban growth. The decline of Mdina culminated, however, with the great earthquake of XNUMX, when a good part of the city was damaged and the capital was moved to Valletta.
Today Mdina is above all a tourist attraction, visited every year by thousands of tourists who arrive in front of the walls to learn about its secrets and "get lost" in the network of streets in the center older, where the old palaces of Malta's noble families still tower over the lower buildings.
Here are the most interesting destinations and attractions not to be missed on a trip to Mdina, an adventure in the fascinating and ancient former capital.
The main attraction of Mdina is precisely the Old Town, a fascinating network of narrow streets that branch out between the buildings of the ancient city like a spider's web, which is worth exploring calmly to admire the most evocative views.
Although the center is not very large, it is very easy to lose orientation in this tangle of streets and the best choice before entering is to visit the Tourist Office which is located at the entrance to the city where, in addition to a map and to some advice on what to see, it is possible to have a little information on the history of Mdina and Rabat.
THEancient portal entrance to the city is one of the favorite settings for tourists who, as soon as they arrive, want to take a souvenir photo: the recent restoration has made the gate a true architectural jewel which is becoming the symbol of the city.
The heart of the city is the feature Piazza San Paolo, the ancient forum of Mdina, where the Cathedral and some elegant buildings such as Palazzo Santa Sofia, Palazzo Gatto, Palazzo de Piro and the headquarters of the Bank of Malta stand, all built in an elegant Baroque style.
La St. Paul's Cathedral it is the most important religious building in the area, an imposing structure built at the end of the seventeenth century after the previous cathedral was destroyed by fire. This demonstrates the great religious feeling of the Maltese population towards the apostle Paul, who lived in Mdina. Inside the church it is possible to admire a rich and spectacular fresco decoration dedicated to Saint Paul and an impressive silver altar made in the eighteenth century.
Next to the Cathedral, precisely in Piazza dell'Arcivescovo, it is possible to visit the St. Paul's Cathedral Museum, where a very rich collection of sacred vestments, icons, an interesting collection of archaeological finds from the Roman period and the archives of the Bishop of Mdina are preserved: an extraordinary and fascinating testimony to the thousand-year history of the city. Temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and photography are often set up inside the rooms, making the museum one of the most active cultural institutions in the city.
Staying in the Cathedral area it is worth a visit Palazzo de Piro, once one of the residences of a noble Maltese family and today home to cultural events of great importance, where, among exhibitions, presentations and conferences, it is also possible to have a drink in the charming bar created from the ancient stables of the palace, a unique setting in which to spend an evening out of the ordinary.
If you are looking for a quiet and cool place to take a relaxing walk then the perfect destination is i Howard Public Gardens, at the foot of the central bastion of the city walls, where among the palm trees and fountains you can find the last inhabitants of the old city who find themselves chatting in the shade. Furthermore, a few steps from the center of the gardens are the remains of a large Roman villa, an archaeological attraction that is worth visiting.
To admire one of the most beautiful and evocative views of Mdina you must reach Tas-sur Square, the belvedere square, located on an ancient bastion of the city walls where a pedestrian clearing was created from which you can see the roofs of the city. A fascinating experience at sunset, when the colors of the sunset make the atmosphere romantic and wonderful.
Mdina is a very suggestive destination all year round, but it offers its best during the Mdina Medieval Festival, a great celebration that involves the entire historic center in a show that takes the city back to the times of its splendor, with swordsmen, soldiers, ladies and knights filling the streets. The festival is held every year at the end of April and is also the occasion in which many noble palaces, closed to the public during the year, open their doors to visitors who can admire the sumptuousness of the internal decorations.
