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from Wikipedia Valletta:
Valletta (Maltese: Il-Belt Valletta, commonly referred to as Il-Belt - 'The City') is the capital city of Malta. The city has a population of 6,315 (official estimate for 2005). It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, where Scebberras Hill juts out into the surrounding harbours.
Valletta, the Città Umilissima, is Baroque in character. However, it has elements of Mannerism, Neo-Classical with hints of Modern architecture located in selected areas. Valletta did not escape World War II unscathed; although it remained essentially Baroque in character, the war left major scars on the city. In 1980 the City of Valletta was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Benjamin Disraeli visited Valletta in August 1830, on the recommendation of his friend, Lord Byron. He described Valletta as "a city of palaces built by gentlemen for gentlemen," and remarked that "Valletta, equals in its noble architecture, if it does not excel, any capital in Europe," and in subsequent letters to friends, that it is "comparable to Venice and Cádiz...not a single tree, but full of palaces worthy of Palladio." |
