After departing the bus it is an easy walk to Republic Street, the main avenue through Valletta. We meander off to the right and encounter Plaza de Jean Valette. He was the Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also known as Knights Hospitaller who defeated the siege of the Ottoman's in 1565. Needless to say, the city is named after him.
Nearby is Our Lady of Victories Chapel, the first building to be constructed in the new city of Valletta back in the 1560's. The beautiful paintings on the ceiling vault are by Alessio Erardi and have been recently restored.
We stop in the National Museum of Archeology, a small museum on two floors which covers Malta's Neolithic Period (5200 BC) until the early Phoenician period (6th Century BC), including the Bronze Age. In the Neolithic section we see some fairly detailed stone carvings of humans (especially considering it is 5,000 years before Christ) including a small sculpture of a sleeping lady. An interesting piece from the the Bronze Age is a dagger with a carved bone handle. A sarcophagus is the highlight of the Phoenician section.
We stop in the National Museum of Archeology, a small museum on two floors which covers Malta's Neolithic Period (5200 BC) until the early Phoenician period (6th Century BC), including the Bronze Age. In the Neolithic section we see some fairly detailed stone carvings of humans (especially considering it is 5,000 years before Christ) including a small sculpture of a sleeping lady. An interesting piece from the the Bronze Age is a dagger with a carved bone handle. A sarcophagus is the highlight of the Phoenician section.
We try to visit the Church of St. Paul Shipwreck, but are told that it is closed until 3 pm. If we return to Valletta we will try again. However, St. John's Co-Cathedral is open. After paying our €10 per person admission to the church and museum we are delighted by what we see. The Cathedral was built between 1573 and 1578 by the Knights Hospitaller in Baroque architecture with an interior is by Mattia Preti who studied the style of Caravaggio. Preti is responsible for the vaulted ceiling paintings and the stone-carved walls made up of Maltese crosses, coats of arms, gilded flowers and other insignia and symbols. He also painted several of the altar pieces. We enter the Oratory (where unfortunately we cannot take any photo's) and are amazed by the enormous paintings by Caravaggio - 'St. John the Baptist' and 'St. Jerome.'
We stop for lunch at a cafe in the square outside the National Library of Malta. It is here where I try Pastizza - a national pastry. They are a variation of filo dough or puff pasty filled with ricotta or mushy peas. Needless to say, I choose ricotta. This savory pastry is tasty, not sweet, and quite filling. One is not enough for a meal, but it is a heavy appetizer. We round out the meal with hamburgers and glasses of a local wine and beer.
After lunch we walk by the National Palace then search for the National Museum of Fine Arts. We find it on a side street after walking uphill what feels like forever. We later understand that there was a much better route.
After lunch we walk by the National Palace then search for the National Museum of Fine Arts. We find it on a side street after walking uphill what feels like forever. We later understand that there was a much better route.
 |  The Malta National Museum of Fine Arts is in a palace which served as an early residence for the Knights. The art collection is modest, but includes some noteworthy pieces from Mattia Preti (such as the 'Baptism of Christ') as well as Turner's 'View of the Harbor.' We are also fond of the statue Rhytmii Vitae (Rhythm of Life). |
Although there is much more to see of Valletta we are tired and decide to return to our flat. Perhaps we will return for some more explorations on another day.
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