The walled city has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1980. It was built after the Great Siege of Malta in 1565 and became Malta’s capital in 1570. That means that many of the buildings ...

On 18 May 1565, an Ottoman fleet of some 200 ships carrying more than 25,000 soldiers appeared off Malta, to be joined later by 5,000 corsairs (North African privateers). Defending the island were ...