Valletta or Valetta (197 ft.; pop. 25,000, or incl. Floriana 32,000), the capital of Malta, is the seat of the Governor (see p. [399]), of the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Forces (Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton), and of a University founded in 1769. It lies in 35°34′ N. lat. and 14°31′ E. long., at the extremity of the peninsula, formerly called Monte Sceberras, 1½ M. long and ½ M. broad, between the Grand Harbour (to the S.E.) and the Marsamuscetto Harbour (to the N.W.). Enthroned above its harbours, with its grand fortifications partly hewn in the rock, the model of a 16th. cent, fortress, it presents a very striking appearance when approached from the sea.
Opposite Valletta, on the three central creeks of the Grand Harbour, lie the ‘Three Cities’ of Borgo (Malt. Birgu; pop. 6200), the oldest seat of the Maltese Order, also called Vittoriosa since the great Turkish siege, Sénglea (pop. 8100), and Búrmola or Cospicua (pop. 14,100), with the naval arsenal. In the Marsamuscetto Harbour lies the island of Jezira, with the Lazzaretto, beyond which, on the Sliema Creek, rises the town of Sliema (pop. 12,000).
The Fortifications were an object of ceaseless attention under the rule of the Order. The oldest part of them is Fort St. Angelo, originally built by the Moors in 870 and renewed in 1530, which in the siege of 1565 proved the chief bulwark of Borgo. Fort St. Elmo, originally built in 1488 but now entirely altered, fell into the hands of the Turks in 1565. The town-wall of Borgo was built in 1530 and that of Sénglea in 1554. The *Town Walls of Valletta, with their thirty bastions, deep moats, drawbridges, and casemates, date chiefly from the time of the foundation of the town (1566–71). The outworks of Floriana are of 1635. The older ramparts of Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Burmola, called the Firenzuola Lines, were strengthened by the addition of new outworks in 1668 called the Cottonera Lines. The later harbour-forts are Fort Ricasoli, of 1670, Fort Manoel in Jezira, of 1732, and Fort Tigné, of 1792. All these works are supplemented by the British Harbour Batteries.
The streets ascend steeply from the two harbours, many of them by means of long flights of steps. The main business streets are the Strada Reale, leading on the top of the peninsula from Fort St. Elmo to Porta Reale (over ½ M.), and the Strada Mercanti. From the latter the Strada Cristoforo descends past the University, established in an old Jesuit college (Strada San Paolo 109), to the Lower Barracca Gardens, a bastion affording a good survey of the mouth of the harbour and the ‘Three Cities’.
The plain Palace, once the seat of the Grand Master and now that of the governor of Malta (see p. [399]), was erected in 1573–7 by Girolamo Cassar in the Strada Reale and Piazza Tesoreria, in the centre of the town. The garden court on the left is adorned with a bronze statue of Neptune by Giovanni da Bologna; in the court on the right rises a huge Araucaria excelsa. Adm., see p. [400]; entrance by the green gate in the upper court.
The chief attraction is the Palace Armoury on the first floor, containing armour, weapons, flags, and trophies of the Order (catalogue 5s.). The principal hall, 88 yds. long, contains also state-coaches in the pseudo-classical style and charters of Pope Paschalis II. (1113) and Charles V. (1530; investiture of the Order). On the walls of the adjacent corridor are painted views of old Malta. The Council Room on the left is hung with superb Gobelins, designed by Franç. Desportes (1703). The wall-paintings represent naval battles fought by the Order.
An inscription on the Doric portico of the Main Guard, opposite the N.W. façade of the Palace, records the cession of Malta to Great Britain. A band often plays in the square in the evening. In the Piazza Tesoreria, opposite the S.W. façade of the Palace, is the Public Library of 56,000 vols. (adm., see p. [400]; entrance under the arcades).
The Cathedral of San Giovanni (St. John’s), to the left in the second side-street in the direction of the Porta Reale, built in 1573–7 by Girol. Cassar, and lavishly decorated in the interior, was the Order’s temple of fame. Adm., see p. [400].
Interior. The oil-paintings on the barrel-vaulting are by Mattia Preti (‘il Cavaliere Calabrese’; 1613–99). On the floor are about 400 slabs of coloured marble, tombstones of the knights. The chapels dedicated to the nine nations of the Order are lined with a number of tombstones of Grand Masters, mostly in the baroque or rococo style. In the Portuguese chapel (2nd on the right) are those of Ant. Manoel de Vilhena (1722–36) and Manoel Pinto de Fonseca (1741–73), the founder of the university.—In the Crypt, below the high-altar (of 1686), repose, among others, L’Isle Adam (1530–4), the first Maltese Grand Master, and Jean de la Valette (1557–68), the gallant defender of Borgo (see p. [398]).
Sumptuous Brussels tapestry (1697–1701), after designs by Rubens and Mattia Preti, is hung up in the church on festivals.