Mdina Information

Mdina Information

Mdina is an ancient fortified town that's located in the centre of the island of Malta with a history which dates back more than 2,500 years. The town itself is less than one square kilometre and is home to a population of only around 250 residents while the surrounding neighbourhoods make up the much larger town of Rabat whose residents number more than 12,000.

Mdina was first settled by Phoenicians around the eighth century BC but it wasn't until the Romans came that the settlement was separated from the surrounding villages. During the 11th century Norman invaders conquered the town and built massive fortifications around the town. Mdina became the capital city of Malta and remained so until the sixteenth century whereupon its influence was greatly diminished. However many people continued to live in Mdina and the surrounding Rabat and today there are still some wonderful sights to be seen.

It's easy to see that The Old Town was built as a fortress as it is full of narrow alleyways and curving walls that would impede any invader as well as limit the range of their arrows. The Mdina castle is a must see as well as the sobering dungeons and torture chambers. St Paul's Cathedral dates from the seventeenth century and is notable for the ornate marble gravestones on the floor that commemorate the deaths of Malta's aristocracy. Just outside is the Cathedral Museum which houses some interesting and rare exhibits from the cathedrals past. There is also a self-guided audio tour that can be taken which guides visitors to all the interesting corners of the town and explains its colourful history. The tour is available from the Vilhena Palace adjacent to the main gate of the old city.