Set the scene.
Valletta’s story begins with a decision to build for the future. After the Great Siege of 1565, the Order of St John set about creating a fortified city on the peninsula overlooking Malta’s harbours.
Here’s the twist.
Grand Master Jean de Valette laid the city’s foundation stone on 28 March 1566. The new city would carry his name. Its streets, churches and public buildings became the setting for centuries of Maltese life.
Why it still matters.
The founding of Valletta connects two chapters: the struggle to defend the islands and the ambition to create a lasting capital. Walk its streets today and that relationship between defence and daily life is still visible.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.