Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Victoria Citadel - Malta

Last month I traveled to Malta with a friend. Beautiful towns, landscapes and cheap stamps, the cheapest stamps I've ever bought. I'd be an even happier postcrosser in Malta. The cards are also cheap and this is the one I sent to mysfelf. 

Victoria Citadel on Gozo island is not a UNESCO site but it might be one day as it is on the tentative list.
All roads in Gozo lead to Rabat, also known as Victoria. The Citadel is visible from almost all the Island, rising steeply above the surrounding countryside. 

© Photo: Maurizio Urso
The Citadel in Gozo owes its roots to the late medieval era, but the hill has been settled since Neolithic times. For centuries, the Citadel served as a sanctuary from attack by Barbary corsairs and Saracens. At several times during Gozo's history, these raiders took its population into slavery.
After the Great Siege of 1565, the Knights set about re-fortifying the Citadel to provide refuge and defence against further attack. Until 1637, the Gozitan population was required by law to spend their nights within the Citadel for their own safety. In later, more peaceful times, this restriction was lifted and people settled below its walls, creating the prosperous town of Rabat, now known as Victoria. - in: https://www.visitmalta.com/en/victoria-and-cittadella

No comments: