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Malta

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description Malta Overview

Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean south of Sicily; its capital, Valletta, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by the Knights of St John in the 16th century. The islands hold megalithic temples such as Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, among the oldest free-standing structures in the world, and Roman catacombs near Rabat. Maltese and English are both official languages. Malta became independent from Britain in 1964 and joined the European Union in 2004.

help Malta FAQ

What language do people speak in Malta?

Malta has two official languages: Maltese and English. Maltese is notable as the only Semitic language that's an official EU language, descended from Arabic but heavily influenced by Italian and written in the Latin alphabet.

Are Malta's temples really older than the pyramids?

Yes, the megalithic temples such as Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, and Ġgantija on Gozo date to around 3600 BC, predating both Stonehenge and Egypt's Great Pyramid. They are among the oldest free-standing structures on Earth and are UNESCO-listed.

What happened to Malta's Azure Window?

The famous limestone arch on the island of Gozo collapsed into the sea during a storm in March 2017. Before its collapse it appeared in countless films, including Game of Thrones, where it stood in the backdrop of Daenerys's wedding scene.

Who built the city of Valletta?

Valletta was built by the Knights of St John after the Great Siege of 1565, founded in 1566 and named after Grand Master Jean de Valette. Its baroque street grid is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city served as a European Capital of Culture in 2018.