TOUR DE LA VILLE

From the Greek's Gate, by taking the gardens on the right, you reach the main gate of Mdina. It is necessary to park your vehicle before entering the walled city because cars are not allowed except for local residents. In the deserted streets, protected from the sun by the high blond walls, calm reigns. On the left, you reach the ramparts to discover, at the bottom, the old Rabat railway station, a vestige of the era of the railways in Malta (from 1914 to 1938), and today surrounded by vegetation.

To reach the main street, Villegaignon Street, you take a street on the right (Inguanez Street or Mesquita Street). Villegaignon is a Knight of the Order who organized the defense of the city during the Turkish attack of 1551.

At the corner of Villegaignon Street and Inguanez Street, the 14th century Inguanez House belonged to the oldest noble family in Malta. The Inguanez were often the heads of the Università, the assembly administering the town and part of the island.

In the "Mdina Experience" square, Mesquita Square, the Cremona Gallery is named after a Maltese artist who specialised in oil paintings of Maltese landscapes and who created the monument commemorating the 1990 Bush-Gorbachev meeting.

At the end of Mesquita Street , turn left into Villegaignon Street to reach the cathedral. Continuing along Villegaignon Street, you will reach the Carmelite Church, built between 1630 and 1690 to the design of Francesco Sammut and housing paintings by Stefano Erardi. The Maltese revolt against the French (1798) really began here, as the latter tried to seize the church's property.

Opposite, the Palazzo Costanzo, built in the 17th century, sketches a history of the Middle Ages through paintings of daily life, reconstructions of Maltese houses and life-size plaster statues. A few steps further on, the Norman House (or Palazzo Falzon), managed by the Gollcher Foundation, dates from the Middle Ages. Its Sicilian-Norman style is typical of the period of rule of the Norman Roger of Sicily.

You return to the fortifications on Bastion Square where a shop selling souvenirs and Maltese handicrafts may be of interest to enthusiasts. From the square, you can look out over St Paul's Bay, the Cupola of Mosta and, in the distance, Valletta. From the top of its ramparts, the impression of dominating the whole island is strong, and its title of capital becomes obvious. You can have fun recognizing all the places you visited the previous days.