Things to see and do Mdina

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Benedictine nuns of Mdina are first mentioned in 1450, on the site of a medieval women's hospital, enlarged and completely restored in 1625. The Order is governed by very strict rules: nuns are never allowed to leave the convent, even after death. They are buried in the crypt, and the only male visitors allowed are the doctor and the plasterer-painter when work is being carried out. The public can visit the adjoining chapel, but the nuns don't open it every day, so you'll have to take your chances.

Nearly twenty nuns currently live here in total isolation, devoting their days to prayer and tending the garden. Needless to say, tourists can't visit either.

Located at the end of Mesquita Street, on the square with its small bar and pastizzi, under stone arches, amidst fountains and plants, Mdina Experience tells the 7,000 years of the city's history in multi-vision, presented in twelve languages (with headphones). This show lasts about 30 minutes and allows you to discover the cult of the mother goddess, the shipwreck of Saint Paul, the destruction of the medieval city by an earthquake and its reconstruction and defence by the Knights of Saint John. A show every hour.