Place details
Mdina - the Oldest!
The town of Mdina is very proud with a history of more than 4000 years.
It was founded by the Phoenicians, who built it far from the sea in order to protect it from attacks from the sea.
Like all the old Maltese towns, it is a fortress city.
It is surrounded by a large wall with an impressive gate.
Inside it is very quiet, silent.
Everything is in white stones. The streets are small but magnificent.
It's fascinating. One feels like an intruder.
The city was called "Noble" in the Middle Ages because the local nobility, Spanish, Sicilian and other descendants here had their palace here.
They're still there, by the way.
Mdina and Rabat
Mdina is the neighbor of the city of Rabat.
When the Arabs conquered the island of Malta, they separated the city in 2 because they found it too large.
From this separation, they resulted in 2 towns - Mdina and Rabat.
Mdina remained sparsely populated (300 inhabitants today), Rabat significantly more populated (11 000 inhabitants).
It is said that here in Mdina-Rabat sheltered St. Paul following a shipwreck in the Mediterranean.
He laid the foundations of the Christianity here in Malta.
Besides, in Rabat, one can visit the cave (St Pau's Grotto) where he lived a few years.
