Miniature Malta is considered a fairly popular destination among Russian tourists. A favorable climate throughout the year, exquisite Mediterranean cuisine, ancient culture and the opportunity to see the whole country in a week - all this is an indisputable advantage of the state, where you will always find something to see. Malta's greatest treasure is preserved in a cultural heritage rooted in the deep past.
Types of attractions in Malta
Despite its small size, the island is included in the list of places where both ancient cathedrals and temples and picturesque grottoes, rocks and gorges are located on the same territory. Once in Malta, do not forget to include in your excursion program a walk along the central square of Valletta, visiting restaurants with national cuisine, as well as acquaintance with souvenir shops. Conventionally, the sights of Malta can be divided into several types: natural areas; museum complexes; architectural monuments.
The state authorities are making every effort to restore and improve the territory of the island. For this purpose, special programs are being developed with the participation of professionals in the field of art and construction.
Natural areas of Malta
Among the most visited natural reserves are the Blue Grotto, Calypso's Cave and Mushroom Mountain. Each of them has its own unique origins and is shrouded in legends.
Blue grotto
Blue grotto
The Blue Grotto got its name from the bright blue color of the water washing the rocky shores from all sides. Outwardly, the grotto resembles sea caves, the depth of which reaches 45 kilometers, created in natural conditions for several millennia. Every year tourists flock to this place to watch the amazing play of sunlight on the sea surface and bizarre stone forms.
The grotto gained its popularity in the middle of the 20th century, when the families of the English military began to settle on its surface. In the future, the attraction was repeatedly chosen by directors for filming their films.
Today the grotto can be reached by boat. Such excursions are organized by various Maltese travel companies. However, swimming to the Blue Grotto during inclement weather is strictly prohibited for safety reasons.
Calypso cave
Not far from the town of Shaara, you can see with your own eyes another important natural attraction of Malta, namely the Calypso Cave. According to an old legend, an ancient Greek nymph named Calypso held her beloved Odysseus by force in the cave. His seclusion lasted seven years, after which he fled from Calypso to his wife Penelope.
Inside the cave, archaeologists have discovered a labyrinth consisting of stone walls. Some of the entrances were blocked by large boulders and are inaccessible for viewing today. Tourists, as a rule, come to the cave in order to admire the gorgeous views from the observation deck. In addition, the remains of the towers built during the reign of the Order of Malta can be observed around the cave.
Mushroom mountain
It has been locally known since the Middle Ages, when a local general found truffles on the surface of the mountain. After a long study of this type of mushroom, the general came to the conclusion that they have amazing healing properties and are able to heal and prevent various diseases. Since then, the mountain has received the name "mushroom" or Il-Gebla Tal-General, which means "General's Rock" in Maltese.
Subsequently, the mountain was declared a forbidden area, which could not be visited without the knowledge of the authorities. Otherwise, the offender was threatened with a prison term of three years in prison.
The height of the mountain is about 60 meters, which made it possible to turn the rock into a famous landmark among those who prefer diving.
Museum complexes
As for museums, there are plenty of them in Malta. From a historical point of view, the Situational Center of Laskaris, the National Museum of Natural History and the Maritime Museum are considered to be very interesting from a historical point of view. The museum buildings store artifacts from different eras, found on the territory of Malta in the process of its development and formation.
Situational Center Laskaris
The geographical landmark of this attraction is the city of Valletta. The center or, as the Maltese call it, the bunker consists of a system of underground tunnels in which rooms were artificially constructed, connected by passages.
When the Second World War began, the main headquarters was located in the center, responsible for the management and planning of military operations for special purposes. Most of the hostilities took place under the leadership of the talented General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the commander of the Royal Navy.
In the second half of the 20th century, the bunker served as a headquarters, and later was transferred to the NATO department and used as a center of strategic communication. After 2009, the place became accessible for mass visits, and a museum was created on its basis.
National Museum of Natural History
If you want to learn more about the flora and fauna of Malta, as well as the surrounding areas, then you should go to the museum located in the city of Mdina. The building of the museum was previously the Palace of Justice, after which in 1973 the premises were reconstructed into spacious halls with modern equipment.
Museum compositions include collections of fossils found in the Malta area, stuffed animals and rare plant species. If you wish, you can use the audio guide in Russian in order to get more detailed information about each exhibit.
Museum expositions are divided according to thematic principle as follows:
- Neolithic and Paleolithic fossils;
- preserved skeletons of ancient animals, birds;
- geological relics.
The museum holds educational events a couple of times a week, the essence of which is to acquaint an ordinary person with the stages of the development of life on Earth.
Maritime museum
Maritime museum
This attraction is popular among visitors, as the best examples of the Navy of Malta are collected on the basis of the museum. The museums have existed since 1992 and every year its collection is replenished with exhibits carefully collected by the staff. Excursions are held in the extensive halls on the themes of "History of Maltese Navigation", "Great Navigators of Malta", "Formation of the English Navy", "History of Navigation in Malta", etc.
Among the exhibits, the central place is occupied by reproductions of ships, galleons and perfectly preserved barges belonging to noble masters. A separate part of the collection is made up of ancient weapons made by masters of the past, as well as firearms used by the knights.
In addition to the main exhibits, you can see original paintings on the theme of sea travel in the museum. Each of the paintings is a work of art from the pen of famous marine painters.
Architectural monuments
In the region of Malta, archaeological excavations are periodically carried out, which open new pages in the history of the country. Over the long period of the state's existence, many architectural objects were found and erected on its territory, which today are of particular value to the local population.
Ggantija
The island of Gozo is famous for its ancient buildings, one of which is a complex of buildings that is of great value to Maltese culture. The megalithic structures of the Neolithic era are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and outwardly look like a layering of large stone slabs.
According to researchers, the complex consists of two temples with a common wall and separate entrances. Around Ggantija, a stone building, 5 meters high, was erected, functioning as a defense against barbarians. The total weight of the structures is 52 tons, which indicates the scale of the project.
Popular legend says that many millennia ago, the gods of fertility were worshiped in temples and ritual ablutions were performed. The complex has preserved three rooms, built in the shape of a clover leaf, symbolizing good luck. Inside the premises, many remains of animal bones were found, as well as fragments of altars.
Church of the Shipwreck of St. Paul
The appearance of this landmark in Malta is significant and plays a key role in the formation of Orthodoxy on the island. The temple is located in Valletta and was built in the 16th century thanks to the efforts of the Maltese authorities. The construction of the cathedral was timed to coincide with an event that took place near the coast of the state.
The fact is that the ship on which the Apostle Paul made his sea voyage was wrecked in the waters of Malta. As a result, the apostle was forced to stay on the island and began to preach Christianity among the local residents. Since then, this religion has become the leading one for the Maltese, and a cathedral was built in memory of the Apostle.
The interior decoration of the temple is striking in its magnificence: gilded columns are harmoniously combined with domed frescoes and filigree wood carvings. The church contains a silver throne and the relics of St. Paul.
Grand Master's Palace
Grand Master's Palace
The palace was erected in 1574 in the center of the Palace Square, where it is located to this day. A distinctive feature of the attraction is the fact that at the moment the palace premises are used as the seat of the Parliament and the Government of Malta.
The first building of the palace was built from long wooden planks, and then the wood base was replaced with limestone. The final design of the palace was developed by the famous Maltese and Italian architects Francesco Laparelli da Corton and Gerolamo Cassar. The result is a magnificent building, decorated with frescoes and friezes depicting scenes from the history of Malta.
On the walls of the palace there are portraits of great politicians and rulers, tapestries, flags, as well as the Maltese coats of arms of different periods.
