Things to see and do Central

The main gate of Mdina was rebuilt in 1724, a few metres from the old one. On the pediment, the arms are those of the great master António Manoel de Vilhena. It was at this door that the University welcomed each new Grand Master, asking him to reconfirm the preservation of Mdina's rights and freedoms before handing him the keys to the city. In front of Main Gate, you will find kiosks, a children's park, toilets (open during the day), the bus terminal and the Howard Gardens where you can rest in the shade of the orange trees.

An impressive dome topped by a nipple, built without the aid of scaffolding, it is the pride of Maltese builders. And it's true that the Rotunda, Europe's fourth largest dome, is a pure marvel. The church, which can accommodate up to 12,000 people, took 27 years to build. Work was completed in 1871.

The people of Mosta contributed financially and physically to the building of the structure, some even offering up to 70% of their annual salary. The church was modelled on the Pantheon in Rome by architect Giorgio Grognet de Vassé, a Maltese nobleman whose bust can be seen inside. At the entrance, the olive-wood statue of Our Lady is the one carried around the village on procession days. Several of the murals are by Giuseppe Cali; the altar is by the Maltese Pasquale Buhagiar.

The gigantic dome is white, with sky-blue and gold rhombuses. Its diameter is almost 39 m. To avoid the need for scaffolding, a sort of stone spiral has been constructed, tapering in size and easily visible from the outside. The base of the spiral is 9 m wide. During the Second World War, at 4.40pm on April 9, 1942, a bomb fell on the church during mass, but failed to detonate. The episode became known as the "Mosta miracle", and a life-size reproduction of the bomb is still on display in the sacristy at the back of the church, on the left. For the festa on August 15, the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption and the national holiday, the interior of the church is covered in red hangings and the exterior is decorated with multicolored bulbs and statues.

With its two bell towers and dome, the cathedral, dedicated to Saint Paul and Saint Peter, is located where Saint Paul is said to have converted the Roman governor Publius, who later became the first bishop of Malta, to Christianity. Originally, there was a small church there, dating from the 4th century, which Roger of Sicily had enlarged when he arrived in 1090, and you can still see the old wooden door of the time, now integrated into the current building and leading to the sacristy. Enlarged in the 15th century, the church was entirely rebuilt by Lorenzo Gafà after the earthquake of 1693, then consecrated a cathedral in 1702 and dedicated to Saint Paul. The monumental façade, with its mixture of vertical and horizontal lines, is in the purest Baroque Romanesque style. It is flanked by the coat of arms of the great masters Perellos y Roccaful and Palmieri. Like the Saint-Paul de La Valette cocathedral, its floor is covered with marble slabs from the tombs of great masters and other personalities, the most recent dating from 1996. It is located to the right of the cathedral, in Saint Paul Street.

Inside, during the visit, special mention should be made of the baptismal font, to the left of the main entrance door, the entrance door to the sacristy and a very beautiful painting by Mattia Preti. Be careful, during the visit, to follow the progress of the booklet, you must leave from the central entrance door of the cathedral and not from the one of the visit.

The cathedral museum. Baroque in style, you will find exposed Dürer's woodcuts, religious paintings and ancient scores of sacred music. Just next door is the 18th century Archbishops' Palace, built on the site of a 14th century building.

Located in Rabat, at the foot of the fortified city of Mdina, the monastery of Saint-Dominique served as the setting for a must-see sequence of season 1. The scene of the confrontation between Cersei Lannister and Ned Stark was shot in the gardens of the priory (ep. 7). It is here that the Hand of the King reveals to the Queen that she is aware of her incestuous relationship with her brother and that her children are not heirs to the Throne. Ned Stark then advises Cersei to run away with her children to avoid the wrath of King Robert, but the queen simply replies, "When you play the Game of Thrones, you either win or die. A nice way to sum up the whole series...

From the Greek's Gate, by taking the gardens on the right, you reach the main gate of Mdina. It is necessary to park your vehicle before entering the walled city because cars are not allowed except for local residents. In the deserted streets, protected from the sun by the high blond walls, calm reigns. On the left, you reach the ramparts to discover, at the bottom, the old Rabat railway station, a vestige of the era of the railways in Malta (from 1914 to 1938), and today surrounded by vegetation.

To reach the main street, Villegaignon Street, you take a street on the right (Inguanez Street or Mesquita Street). Villegaignon is a Knight of the Order who organized the defense of the city during the Turkish attack of 1551.

At the corner of Villegaignon Street and Inguanez Street, the 14th century Inguanez House belonged to the oldest noble family in Malta. The Inguanez were often the heads of the Università, the assembly administering the town and part of the island.

In the "Mdina Experience" square, Mesquita Square, the Cremona Gallery is named after a Maltese artist who specialised in oil paintings of Maltese landscapes and who created the monument commemorating the 1990 Bush-Gorbachev meeting.

At the end of Mesquita Street , turn left into Villegaignon Street to reach the cathedral. Continuing along Villegaignon Street, you will reach the Carmelite Church, built between 1630 and 1690 to the design of Francesco Sammut and housing paintings by Stefano Erardi. The Maltese revolt against the French (1798) really began here, as the latter tried to seize the church's property.

Opposite, the Palazzo Costanzo, built in the 17th century, sketches a history of the Middle Ages through paintings of daily life, reconstructions of Maltese houses and life-size plaster statues. A few steps further on, the Norman House (or Palazzo Falzon), managed by the Gollcher Foundation, dates from the Middle Ages. Its Sicilian-Norman style is typical of the period of rule of the Norman Roger of Sicily.

You return to the fortifications on Bastion Square where a shop selling souvenirs and Maltese handicrafts may be of interest to enthusiasts. From the square, you can look out over St Paul's Bay, the Cupola of Mosta and, in the distance, Valletta. From the top of its ramparts, the impression of dominating the whole island is strong, and its title of capital becomes obvious. You can have fun recognizing all the places you visited the previous days.

The Carmelite community was established in Rabat in the 15th^century and moved to Mdina in the 1660s. The priory's cloister, designed by Lorenzo Gafà, is superb. Don't miss the baroque refectory and the reconstructed antique kitchen. Visit the church, also in Baroque style, and note its elliptical plan. It was in this church that the insurrection against the French occupiers began in 1800, just as the latter were about to seize the church's possessions and place them in Napoleon's coffers... As for the Carmelites, today they can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

It was built on the site of an old medieval chapel, damaged by the earthquake of 1693 which, from Sicily, destroyed part of the town of Mdina. The new chapel was built in 1694 according to the plans of the architect Lorenzo Gafà. This church is dedicated to Saint Agatha, one of the three patron saints of the city of Mdina, together with Saint Paul and Saint Publius. This saint is said to have found refuge on the island of Malta, while fleeing the persecutions of the Roman emperor Decius.

Located in the main square of Rabat, it is a baroque style church, designed by Francesco Buonamici and completed by Lorenzo Gafà in 1683. It was built in honour of Paul of Tarsus, who is said to have converted Malta's first Christians. From now on it is no longer included in the visit to the Wignancourt Museum and you will have to take advantage of the mass hours to notice in particular its altarpiece, by Stefano Erardi. But it is in July that she decorates herself for the holidays. The inner walls are then covered with red damask, braided with gold, the crystal chandeliers come out of their covers and all the golden statuettes of the saints are displayed on the altar. An exceptional opportunity to admire this sumptuous and seductive ensemble.

It was here that St Paul is said to have taken refuge on his arrival in Malta in 60 AD, at the origin of the Christian community on the island. Pope John Paul II came to visit his statue here. Not to take anything away from the myth, the cave is accessed through the adjacent catacombs, which represent part of the underground tombs of the 3rd century AD. Amid labyrinthine alleys, rock-cut tombs of all sizes follow one another, some with bone fragments still in them, from the Punic, Roman and Christian eras

This large mansion of the th century, typical of Rabat, is not a museum, but a particular hotel that is still the private residence office of the family owner of the site. This vast residence was built in the th century from an ancient medieval fortress. In the th century, some baroque elements were added. By visiting the places, you will find the sumptuous life train of the local nobility of the time. You walk through the rooms, the chapel, the lounges, all rich in furniture and art.

The Mdina Dungeon was originally a slave prison, with its cells and the remains of its torture chambers. Terrible stories and amazing stories. Morbide atmosphere, but amateurs will be happy. Those who have seen The horror movie The Hostel will be in good fear…

Here is another visit that will allow you to discover the history of Mdina, by visiting the old cellars that were used to store gunpowder. It took five years of work to create the 120 or so life-size, life-like paintings that evoke the mythical lives of the knights of the Order of Malta. It is a sort of two-dimensional Grévin museum. Explanations given in five languages including French.

San Anton Gardens, open to the public since 1882, surround the official residence of the President of the Republic, a palace built for the French master Antoine de Paule. Among bougainvillea, roses, gigantic trees, citrus fruits and rare plants, plaques commemorate the visit of the world. This garden is particularly pleasant in summer with its dallées alleys, the gurgling of fountains and its many cats of all colors. The people in the neighborhood come to the shadows and talk. Parents take their children watching the few exotic animals a little lost in their pens. In July, you can attend outdoor theatre performances. In winter you will have the chance to see citrus trees covered with fruit: oranges, lemons, grapefruit. But it is in the spring that it appears in all its splendour when the colorful flowers compete with beauty. If you are in Malta in April or May, these gardens are a priority visit.

The Saint-Paul catacomb complex comprises a large part of the main cemetery of the ancient city of Melite. As such, the site comprises a multi-level cemetery, with remains dating from Punic, Roman and Byzantine times, and which may have been in uninterrupted use for over a millennium, between the ^4th century BC and the ^8th century AD. The complex covers more than 2,000 m², and the highlight of the site are the 24 catacombs and hypogeums, which were used mainly in Late Antique and Byzantine times. These small underground tombs offer examples of intimate hypogeum burials and feature elements that are unique in the world, such as certain types of tomb and the triclinia cut into the rock, reminiscent of the sigma tables in Roman dining rooms, suggesting that they were used for commemorative meals.
Rediscovered and studied in the ^19th century, these hypogeums invite visitors to explore ancient burial customs and an important chapter in Malta's historical narrative. Part of the catacombs was reused during the re-Christianization of the island, around the ^13th century, when an open space was redeveloped and used as a Christian sanctuary decorated with murals. The site was excavated and studied in 1894 by Dr. A.A. Caruana, the pioneer of Christian-era archaeology in Malta.

This episcopal palace, which dates from 1722, was built on the site of the previous one, dating from the 14th century. Lorenzo Gafà drew the plans for it, but its construction was suspended so that the cathedral could be completed before this building. It is an imposing building, considered emblematic of the elegance of the 17th century. It has always been the seat of the bishops of Malta. Before the arrival of the British, the bishops were always foreign prelates. They are now Maltese.

The Palazzo de Piro is an extension of the cathedral and is also a concentration of ancient tools used for centuries by Maltese craftsmen. You will have the opportunity to view an impressive collection of over 1,700 objects, each more unusual than the last. The museum is divided into 5 parts for better understanding; in fact the creators leave it to the imagination and discussion of the visitors by deliberately choosing not to give explanations.

This historic museum, with an architecture dating back to the xiiith century, is the best preserved of all medieval buildings in Mdina, located in the heart of the old town. This remains able to capture the history between xiiith and twentieth century. With its lovely garden, the second oldest building in the city belonged once to Captain Olof Frederick Gollcher, artist, philanthropic and scholar of the first half of the twentieth century. A splendid collection of art objects that includes baroque paintings, antique furniture, silverware, jewelry, weapons, gust watches (including a single revolutionary French watch), etc., etc. Audio tour in French possible, at your pace, by choosing your comments. On the roof of the museum you will find a magnificent panoramic view of the surrounding capital and fortress.

The catacombs. Unlike those of Saint-Paul, made of bare stone, those of Sainte-Agathe are decorated with numerous frescoes. At the entrance, on the left, three frescoes of the 3rd century A.D. represent Saint Agatha, Saint Paul and a Virgin and Child. In addition to the usual stone table (agape) and the hole in the ground allowing one to kneel for prayer, the catacombs contain more than 500 tombs, including 200 baby tombs, which are placed in niches carved into the wall or under the parents' grave. An area is reserved for pagans and Jews. Some tombs are dug into the ground, others are raised like large square bathtubs. Those of the wealthiest are luxuriously furnished and some families occupy an entire room. The walls of some of these rooms are pierced with holes for ventilation and dug high niches for oil lamps. The frescoes are full of symbols: for example, the flower represents eternal life and the pelican represents the Eucharist. The same is true of the "particular altars": the cross for Christ, the alpha and omega for the beginning and end of life, the dove for the soul and peace and, always, the flower for eternal life and paradise. Some rooms have columns partly embedded in the thickness of the wall. Others had a door - we can still guess the shape - with locks to prevent the theft of the pottery that was placed near the tombs.

In the crypt at the back, about twenty frescoes are dedicated to Saint Agatha, 13 of which represent her. In order to preserve the paintings, the visit takes place in the dark. You follow the young dynamic guide, armed with a torch, and pay attention to the very low ceilings - the tall ones will have to lower themselves.

The museum is both a religious and a natural history museum. Quaternary fossils and precious stones (including agate) are on display. You will also see pottery, tools and pieces of crockery found in Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman and Christian tombs (from the 8th century BC to the 6th century AD). The rooms dedicated to religious objects contain all kinds of gifts made by Maltese archbishops or nobles: statuettes, priestly vestments, candlesticks, etc. Another room contains medieval ex-voto's, medals and religious paintings.

It is without difficulty that you will find this tourist office of Mdina, installed since a few years in the very pretty museum of natural history, located on the right, once the main entrance of the city is passed. There you will find leaflets about the different activities offered and the places to visit. You will be given a map to guide you through the maze of streets and alleys. Also available to visitors are some emblematic Maltese handicrafts and postcards.

At the entrance to the old town, to the right of the main gate, the museum is housed in the Palacio de Vilhena, a large Baroque building of local limestone, with a sculpted pedimented entrance. The museum was inaugurated in June 1973. It is divided into different sections, highlighting local ecosystems such as the small islands exhibition, Maltese geology and paleontology (fossils), mammals, the marine section, skeletons, reptiles, human evolution, molluscs and birds. The museum houses over 1,000,000 specimens, from microscopic animals to whale bones. It is also a research center for local and foreign students of natural history.
The Palazzo Vilhena, before the earthquake of 1693, was the seat of the Università, the local government. Rebuilt in a superb Baroque style, it became the summer residence of Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena. This is the only building in Mdina built by the Knights of Malta. During the British period, it served as a military hospital. From 1909 to 1956, it served as a hospital for tuberculosis patients. It has been completely renovated and, if natural history isn't your favorite theme, you can always visit the building itself. The Corte Capitanale and adjacent rooms are no longer part of the museum, having been handed over to the local council of Mdina.