Description of the attraction
Probably the most important attraction of the island of Gozo, to which all tourists who have just disembarked at the port of Mgarra go, is the compact Citadel located in the city of Victoria. It seems to rise above the city and over the entire island. From its walls, which can be climbed by steep stone stairs, an excellent panorama of the city and its environs opens up, worthy of being captured in numerous tourist photographs. You can get to the Citadel along Castel Hill Street from Victoria's main street, Republican.
A strategically convenient site for the construction of a fortified city on the island of Gozo was noticed by the Phoenicians. The settlement erected by them also existed under the Romans, until it was destroyed during the Saracen raids. The present fortress was built by the Knights of the Order of Malta. There was a time when all the inhabitants of Victoria hid behind its high walls at night. The wall around the most important city buildings was built in several stages during the 16th-18th centuries. Many buildings on the territory of the Citadel are in need of restoration.
The citadel is small. It can be walked along the fortress walls in 20 minutes. Basically, there are museums on its territory, among which the Archaeological and Folklore museums should be especially noted. Their collections are housed in old mansions. There are also several temples within the Citadel - the Cathedral, famous for its ceiling painting-illusion, and the chapel of St. Joseph. Other local attractions include the Armory, the Granary Building and the Old Prison. The Citadel is still home to the Tribunal of the Island of Gozo. It occupies the Governor's Palace.
