Mdina Town

Mdina is a medieval town in Malta. It is also considered as the “Silent City”, a town that covers an area of about 314 square kilometers with a population of about 300.

The town features a number of walls and the first wall here was built around 700 BC by the Phoenicians. Mdina is too far from the sea and it is also the highest point in the island. It is also the place where the Apostle St. Paul lived after he was involved in a shipwreck.

The major walls in the town were built in the 10th and 11th centuries. During this period, the town streets, moats and fortifications were widened. In the year 1693, a massive earthquake struck the town and majority of the structures were destroyed including the St. Paul’s Cathedral. Later the cathedral was rebuilt by the Knights of Malta in a Baroque style.

In the present, the city is one of the major tourist spots. It features a limited number of houses and has a smaller population. The major attractions in the town are:

St. Paul’s Cathedral
It is a Roman Catholic Cathedral built in between the years 1697-1702. The cathedral was designed by Lorenzo Gafa and it houses several paintings belonging to the 15th century. The baptismal font in the cathedral is made of Irish wood; in addition the cathedral also features a massive collection of silver coins and plates.

Vilhena Palace
The Vilhena Palace was built in the year 1454 and in the year 1908 it was converted to a hospital and closed in 1956. In 1973 it reopened as a museum.

The other attractions in the town include the St. Agtha’s Chapel, St. Nicholas Chapel, National History Museum and Bastion Square.