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About Valletta
The knights of St John quickly realised the great potential of Mount Xeberras and the great natural surrounding harbour. In a matter of months after the epic siege of 1565 where the Ottoman forces failed miserably to capture the island, Francesco Laparelli was sent to Malta by Pope Pius IV to advise on the building of a new city. The first stone was laid on the 28th of March 1566 by the Grandmaster Jean De Vallette and the city was completed by Laparelli’s Maltese assistant, Gerolamo Cassar. With the city complete, Cassar spent the next 20 years designing the various auberges, the residences for the Knights, as well as the grand Masters’ Palace and the Great Cathedral of St John.
Today the capital of Malta, Valletta is still the island’s richest repository of art, architecture, history and culture. It is also one of the main shopping areas, administrative and business center and also hosts all the main government departments. Sightseeing could occupy a minimum of three full days, but equally rewarding are the streets, many of which are still flanked by beautiful houses. Valletta is currently undergoing a huge transformation with the entrance to Valletta being remodeled by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano together with the rehabilitation of the bombed Royal Opera Theatre into an open air theatre and the building of a new Parliament bulding , works should be concluded by 2013
The main thoroughfare is Republic Street which is full of shops and is free of traffic. In recent years more streets in the centre have become pedestrianised including Merchant Street and more and more cafes and restaurants have outdoor seating areas. Republic Street cuts through the city before dropping down to Fort St Elmo on the tip of the peninsula. Leading off it on both sides are numerous back streets forming a rectangular grid that has altered little over the years. A glimpse of brilliant blue at the end of many streets reminds you that this is a very small city, almost entirely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea.
