"MDINA - Citta Notabile" a Mdina Travel Page by tophat30

The Old Capital of Malta is a typycal Medieval town, situated approximatly in the centre of the island. The Silent City as it is known, commands a magnificent view of Malta.

Mdina's history takes us back to at least 2300 years. Inhabited by the Carthaginians (700-218 BC), and the Roman Empire. When St Paul was shipwrecked ( Acts 27:27 - 28:7 ) he stayed in Publius' Palace, same spot were now stands The St Paul's Cathedral. By that time Mdina's original size was 5 times larger than how we know it now. The Arabs reduced it to the present size to have better control of the Fortifications surrounding their Palaces, Quarters and houses.

After the Earthquake that tore down Mdina to ruins in 1963, Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena made Mdina his summer residence to urge the fleeing residents to turn back home.Thanks to this, the city received special attention from the Knights of St John. The charm of its narrow streets and the silence of its medieval Palaces became the setting for a feast of Baroque splendour. You can visit my ' things to do' tips for more details about Mdina.