X-Nico

23 unusual facts about Valletta


Award of the George Cross to Malta

The Cross and the King's message are today found in the War Museum in Fort Saint Elmo, Valletta.

Brochtorff Circle

It was first discovered by John Otto Bayer in the 1820s and rediscovered in 1964 after Gozitan researcher Joe Attard Tabone examined a painting by Charles Brochtorff in the National Library in Valletta.

Edward Middleton Barry

The Covent Garden work was hugely influential in Barry’s appointment to design the Royal Opera House in Valletta, Malta (1866), bombed by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

Giovanni Francesco Abela

Abela was born in Valletta to Marco Abela and Benarda Vella whose great great grandfather was Barone di Pietra Lunga and whose ancestors ruled Malta on more than one occasion and were part of the royal family of Spain.

He is buried in the Chapel of Our Lady of Filermos (today the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament) in the Co-Cathedral of St. John in Valletta.

Harbour Air Seaplanes

A small subsidiary, Harbour Air Malta, was set up in June 2007 and a DHC-3 Turbo Otter floatplane is permanently based in Valletta, Malta for scheduled flights to Gozo and sightseeing trips around the islands.

HMS LST 3002

Now seaworthy again, but still showing signs of injury, in July 1946 she sailed to Dockyard Creek, Valletta Harbour, Malta to complete the repairs in dry dock.

HSBC Bank Malta

HSBC's Malta headquarters are at 116 Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT1444, Malta.

LGBT rights in Malta

There are a few gay clubs including 'Tom Bar', situated in Floriana, which is the oldest gay club in Malta, and 'Monaliza' in Paceville and Valletta.

Louis-Marie-Joseph Maximilian Caffarelli du Falga

Accompanying Napoleon on the French invasion of Egypt, he was present with him when he landed at Valletta to occupy Malta on 12 June 1798.

Manley Dixon

Later in the year, Lion was attached to the squadron blockading Valletta during the Siege of Malta, remaining on the station for two years.

MT explosive motorboat

On 26 July 1941, two human torpedoes (Maiale) and ten MAS boats (including six MTs) launched an unsuccessful attack on the British naval base at Valletta, Malta.

MV Rozi

In 1981 she was sold to Tug Malta, and renamed Rozi, operated in Grand Harbour Valletta.

Nina Silaeva

# 2011 — the Personal exhibition of works in Russian center of a science and culture on Malte in Vallette, July 2011

No. 261 Squadron RAF

The fuselage of Gladiator Faith is on display at the Malta War Museum, Fort St Elmo, Valletta.

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malta

There are two cathedrals in the diocese: The Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Paul's, in Mdina, and St. John's Co-Cathedral, located in Valletta.

Ruth Volgl Cardoso

She played in five World Chess Olympiads, playing first board for the Brazilian team each time: in Skopje 1972, Medellín 1974, Buenos Aires 1976, La Valletta 1980, and Luzern 1982.

Sir Graham Hamond, 2nd Baronet

He was made a Post-Captain on 30 November, and in the following year, when in command of HMS Champion (24), was at the blockade of Malta, where he occasionally served on shore at the siege of Valletta.

Spencer Monument

His body was, however, kept in quarantine at Lazaretto for the full 40 days required, and his body was buried at the Bastion of Saint Michael in Valletta on 12 December.

The Spencer Monument is a restored obelisk monument on the way to Valletta, in Blata l-Bajda, Malta, erected for the Honorable Sir Robert Cavendish Spencer, the cousin of the Governor of Malta Sir Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby (1783-1837), and great-great uncle of Princess Diana (1961-1997).

The Sleeping Lady

This figurine is held in the Museum of Archaeology, in Valletta, Malta.

Themistocles Zammit

Sir Themistocles (Temi) Zammit (or Żammit; 1864–1935) Sir Themistocles (Temi) Zammit (1864 – 1935) was a Maltese archaeologist and historian, professor of chemistry, medical doctor, researcher and writer, serving as Rector (1920–26) of the Royal University of Malta and first Director of the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.

Um El Faroud

She occupied the dock in the harbor of Valletta for three years until it was decided that the best option to utilize her remaining value was to tow her to sea and scuttle her as an artificial reef in 1998.


1983–84 Rangers F.C. season

A fruitful brief run in the European Cup Winner's Cup saw Rangers win the second round, first leg 2-1 over F.C. Porto after the team's record breaking 16-0 aggregate win over Maltese champions Valletta.

1990–91 Rangers F.C. season

They lost the tie 4–1 on aggregate after having had beaten Valletta of Malta in the first round.

2007–08 Maltese Premier League

The Malta Football Best Goalkeeper of the Year award for 2008 was won by Andrew Hogg of Valletta.

Aaron Xuereb

Aaron hoped to help Hibernians retain the Maltese Premier League title for the 2009–10, however the quest took some severe setbacks, as Hibernians sold the Maltese Player of the Year Clayton Failla to Sliema Wanderers, and Striker Terence Scerri joined Valletta.

Carmelo Pace

The Pace family abandoned their Valletta home after it was demolished by aerial bombardment, and relocated to the town of Sliema on the opposite shore of Marsamxett Harbour.

Ċensu Tabone

His paternal grandmother, Giuseppina De Gaetani, had settled in Valletta in the mid-19th century from Riposto, Sicily.

Cleavon Frendo

Frendo made his league debut for Valletta on 25 August 2008, coming on as an 76th minute substitute for fellow new recruit Marcelo Peabirú in a 1–1 draw with Sliema Wanderers.

Cyrus Engerer

In a highly polarised society, Cyrus Engerer was raised in a politically mixed environment with his father being a traditional Nationalist supporter from Tas-Sliema, while his mother from Valletta was an activist in Partit Laburista, with her family being ardent Mintoff supporters.

Ehjeh Ascher Ehjeh

The title of the EP is the response God gave to Moses when He was asked for His name, as seen in the Bible (Exodus 3:14.) The cover painting is a detail of Saint Jerome Writing by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.

Fort Manoel

It stands on Manoel Island in Marsamxett Harbour to the north west of Valletta and commands the entrance to Marsamxett Harbour and the anchorage of Sliema Creek.

Geert den Ouden

Den Ouden made his debut for Valletta in the first qualifying round of the Europa League against Icelandic side Keflavik, scoring a goal in the 72nd minute, to round the match to a 3–0 win for the Maltese side.

Hackney RFC

Hackney RFC have recently toured to Madrid, Munich, Budapest, Malta and Portugal playing against RFC Chaminade, Studentenstadt Munchen RFC, Medvek RFC, Valletta Lions RFC respectively.

Halfpenny Yellow

The earliest known use is 13 December 1860, on a cover from Valletta to Mosta.

Ian Riches

The task given to 2 Commando Brigade was to clear the German defences on the eastern side of Lake Comacchio up to the line of the Valletta canal.

Jesmond Zerafa

Jesmond led Qormi into the 2009–10 season, again making some shrewd acquisitions along the way, Joseph Farrugia’s loan move was made permanent, and again Valletta duo Massimo Grima and Keith Fenech’s season long loan deals were extended for another season.

Josef Mifsud

For the 2008-09 season, first-team chances diminished in his second season, mainly down to the signing of Luke Dimech, Mifsud made 13 appearances during the season, but failed to find the net as Valletta missed out on the title to Hibernians.

Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

The Malta Eurosong 2011 will not be held at the MFCC (Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre) in Ta' Qali, Attard but at the MCC (Mediterranean Conference Centre) in Valletta.

Pietro Paolo Floriani

Besides fortifications built in Italy and in Northern Europe for Pope Urban VIII, the King of Spain and the emperor Ferdinand II, he also designed the fortification walls on the south side of Valletta, the capital city of Malta.

Raphael Cotoner

It was during Raphael's tenure as Grand Master that the Italian Baroque artist Mattia Preti started work in Valletta's St. John's Co-Cathedral.

Saint Jerome Writing

The painting depicts Saint Jerome, a Doctor of the Church in Roman Catholicism and a popular subject for painting, even for Caravaggio, who produced other paintings of Jerome in Meditation and engaged in writing.

Siġġiewi

The titular painting in the church is by the artist Mattia Preti, 'Il calabrese', who was also responsible for the painting on the vault of St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

Smokey Hogg

:For the English association footballer for Malta, Pietà Hotspurs, and Valletta, see Andrew Hogg

St. Agatha's Tower

The Tower is situated in a commanding position on the crest of Marfa Ridge at the north west end of Malta, overlooking the natural harbour and obvious landing site of Mellieħa Bay with clear views over to Comino and Gozo, and also eastward to the line of watchtowers along the north shore of Malta that linked it with the Knights headquarters in Valletta.

Thea Garrett

She has also studied musical theater at Masquerade Theatre School for ten consecutive years, participating in various productions including The King and I and Beyond the Barriquades at the Manoel Theatre, in Valletta.

University of Malta

In 1968 the University moved out of Valletta to a new campus in Msida and a new medical school was opened on the grounds of the former St Luke's Hospital in Guardamangia (since moved to the new Mater Dei Hospital).