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57-499: The Phoenicia Malta is located just outside the capital city of Valletta , close to the Triton Fountain and City Gate . It was built upon a place-of-arms which was part of the outworks of the fortifications of Valletta . Plans to build a “first-class” hotel outside Valletta goes back to February 1902, when public tenders where issued by the public works. However nothing materialised until after WWI . In February 1923,

114-541: A maximum of 15 personnel was led by the Executive Chairman , Perit Vincent Cassar. Members within the board included two representative members of the Parliament of Malta , who were knowledgeable and experienced about matters relating to the environment and development such commercial, industrial and social affairs . A number of appointed boards and committees provided strategic guidance or expert advise to

171-716: A media company. This company publishes the two market-leading newspapers, Times of Malta and The Sunday Times of Malta . The Valletta Campus of the University of Malta is situated in the Old University Building. It serves as an extension of the Msida Campus, especially offering international masters programmes. A church school , "St. Albert the Great", is also situated in Valletta. The Headmaster

228-763: A million visitors since opening. The Valletta International Baroque Festival is held every year in January. Jazz music in Malta was introduced in the Strait Street area, frequented by Allied sailors during both World Wars . Malta's Jazz Festival took place here. Strait Street is also known as The Gut . This area is undergoing a programme of regeneration. The city's dual band clubs are the " King's Own Band Club " ( Maltese : L-Għaqda Mużikali King's Own ) and "La Valette National Philharmonic Society" ( Maltese : Is-Soċjetà Filarmonika Nazzjonali La Valette ). Valletta

285-480: A public art installation, Kif Jgħid il-Malti (Maltese Sayings ), which featured a number of Maltese language proverb figured in gypsum, in order to engage linguistic heritage. Saint James Cavalier , originally a raised gun platform, was converted into a Centre of Creativity in the year 2000 as part of Malta's Millennium Project. It now houses a small theatre, a cinema, music rooms and art galleries. Various exhibitions are regularly held there. It has welcomed over

342-583: A rectangular grid plan , and without any collacchio (an area restricted for important buildings). The streets were designed to be wide and straight, beginning centrally from the City Gate and ending at Fort Saint Elmo (which was rebuilt) overlooking the Mediterranean; certain bastions were built 47 metres (154 ft) high. His assistant was the Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar , who later oversaw

399-559: A share of just under 50 percent of Malta. As in Malta as a whole, tourism is an important economic sector. The most important tourist zone is the area surrounding the Grand Harbour. For the cruise industry, after several years of planning, work began in 2002 to build the Valletta Waterfront Project, a cruise terminal, in the Grand Harbour. There is also a publishing house in Valletta, Allied Newspapers Ltd.,

456-468: A town began to form between the walls of Valletta and the Floriana Lines, and this evolved from a suburb of Valletta to Floriana , a town in its own right. In 1634, a gunpowder factory explosion killed 22 people in Valletta. In 1749, Muslim slaves plotted to kill Grandmaster Pinto and take over Valletta, but the revolt was suppressed before it even started due to their plans leaking out to

513-409: Is Alternattiva Demokratika politician Mario Mallia. Valletta was designated European Capital of Culture for 2018. The year was inaugurated with an event called Erba' Pjazez (Four Squares), with shows focused in 4 plazas in the city – Triton Square , St. George's Square , St. John's Square , and Castille Square – along with other shows in other points. This was followed by the unveiling of

570-613: Is a commercial centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. It is also the southernmost capital of Europe , and at just 0.61 square kilometres (0.24 sq mi), it is the European Union 's smallest capital city. Valletta's 16th-century buildings were constructed by the Knights Hospitaller . The city was named after the Frenchman Jean Parisot de Valette , who succeeded in defending

627-406: Is an example of Art Deco architecture. It is built in Maltese limestone and has a number of elements typical of Maltese architecture. The building has a chevron shape, with a central circular Palm Court Hall giving on to the restaurant and then the terrace. Its grounds contain extensive gardens, amounting to some 7½ acres. It overlooks the bastion walls of Valletta. The building is scheduled by

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684-723: Is the island's principal cultural center and has a unique collection of churches, palaces and museums and act as one of the city's main visitor attractions. When Benjamin Disraeli , future British Prime Minister, visited the city in 1830, he described it 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 other letters called it "comparable to Venice and Cádiz " and "full of palaces worthy of Palladio ." Buildings of historic importance include St John's Co-Cathedral , formerly

741-584: Is the scene of the Maltese Carnival , held in February each year, leading up to Lent . There were no carnival trucks in 2020 or 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic , but trucks returned in 2022. In 1823 the Valletta carnival was the scene of a human crush tragedy in which at least 110 boys perished. Valletta is twinned with: Malta International Airport is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from

798-592: The Grand Harbour . The Grand Harbour is Malta's major port, with unloading quays at nearby Marsa . A cruise-liner terminal is located along the old seawall of the Valletta Waterfront that Portuguese Grandmaster Manuel Pinto da Fonseca built. Valletta features a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen Csa ) with very mild, wet winters and warm to hot, slightly long, dry summers, with an average annual temperature above 23 °C (73 °F) during

855-490: The Malta Environment and Planning Authority . Valletta Valletta ( / v ə ˈ l ɛ t ə / və- LET -ə ; Maltese : il-Belt Valletta , pronounced [vɐlˈlɛttɐ] ) is the capital city of Malta and one of its 68 council areas . Located between the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west, its population as of 2021 was 5,157. As Malta’s capital city, it

912-518: The Order's Langues , and these were complete by the 1580s. An eighth Auberge, Auberge de Bavière , was later added in the 18th century. In Antoine de Paule 's reign, it was decided to build more fortifications to protect Valletta, and these were named the Floriana Lines after the architect who designed them, Pietro Paolo Floriani of Macerata . During António Manoel de Vilhena 's reign,

969-792: The Parliament House near the city's entrance since 2015: it was previously housed at the Grandmaster's Palace in the city centre. The latter palace still houses the Office of the President of Malta , while the Auberge de Castille houses the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta . The courthouse and many government departments are also located in Valletta. The Valletta peninsula has two natural harbours, Marsamxett and

1026-628: The Planning Authority and the Environment and Resources Authority . MEPA acted as the national representation under a number of international environmental conventions and multilateral agreements. These included information supported by the Aarhus Convention : The Agency was governed by a board of professional, whose responsibility was to provide strategic guidance within, laid by the laws of Malta. The board comprising

1083-759: The Valletta Summit on Migration in which European and African leaders discussed the European migrant crisis . After that, on 27 November 2015, the city also hosted part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2015 . Valletta was the European Capital of Culture in 2018. The Valletta Local Council was established by the Local Councils Act of 1993, along with the other local councils of Malta . The first election

1140-520: The directorates to ensure that the organization fulfilled its functions and responsibilities efficiently and effectively, in line with legal obligations. MEPA's operational functions and responsibilities were carried out by the work of four main structures , namely: The Chief Executive Officer was responsible for the implementation of the aims and supervise and control the Directorates. The CEO and other directors were responsible for developing

1197-634: The Conventual Church of the Knights of Malta . It has the only signed work and largest painting by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio . The Auberge de Castille et Leon , formerly the official seat of the Knights of Malta of the Langue of Castille, Léon and Portugal, is now the office of the Prime Minister of Malta . The Grandmaster's Palace , built between 1571 and 1574 and formerly the seat of

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1254-753: The Grand Master of the Knights of Malta, used to house the Maltese Parliament, now situated in a purpose-built structure at the entrance to the city, and now houses the offices of the President of Malta . Admiralty House is a Baroque palace dating to the late 1570s. It was the official residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet during the British era from the 1820s onwards. From 1974 until 2016, it

1311-597: The Knights to the island. The city took his name and was called La Valletta . The Grand Master asked the European kings and princes for help, receiving a lot of assistance due to the increased fame of the Order after their victory in the Great Siege. Pope Pius V sent his military architect, Francesco Laparelli , to design the new city, while Philip II of Spain sent substantial monetary aid. The foundation stone of

1368-467: The Minister for Public Works Antonio Dalli discreetly received a written proposal, by Antonio Cassar Torregiani, for the site to be leased to him in order to build a hotel. However, the minister was of the opinion that the public land and such project should be subject to a competitive opportunity among architects. In October 1924, under the new Minister for Public Works Giovanni Adami, a public notice

1425-518: The Order. Later on in his reign, Pinto embellished the city with Baroque architecture , and many important buildings such as Auberge de Castille were remodeled or completely rebuilt in the new architectural style. In 1775, during the reign of Ximenes , an unsuccessful revolt known as the Rising of the Priests occurred in which Fort Saint Elmo and Saint James Cavalier were captured by rebels, but

1482-596: The Xeberras phrase is of Punic origin and means 'the headland' and 'the middle peninsula' as it actually is. The building of a city on the Sciberras Peninsula had been proposed by the Order of Saint John as early as 1524. Back then, the only building on the peninsula was a small watchtower dedicated to Erasmus of Formia (Saint Elmo), which had been built in 1488. In 1552, the Aragonite watchtower

1539-404: The building development permits and to protect the environment to help achieve a sustainable environmental improvement. The Environment Protection Directorate advised Government on environmental standards and policies, drew up plans and provided a licensing regime to safeguard and monitor the environment and controlled the activities having environmental impact. The Directorate for Corporate Services

1596-405: The city in the town of Luqa . Malta's public transport system , which uses buses, operates mostly on routes to or from Valletta, with their central terminus just outside the city gate . Traffic within the city itself is restricted, with some principal roads being completely pedestrian areas. In 2006, a park and ride system was implemented in order to increase the availability of parking spaces in

1653-476: The city was laid by Grand Master de Valette on 28 March 1566. He placed the first stone in what later became Our Lady of Victories Church . In his book Dell'Istoria della Sacra Religione et Illustrissima Militia di San Giovanni Gierosolimitano (English: The History of the Sacred Religion and Illustrious Militia of St John of Jerusalem ), written between 1594 and 1602, Giacomo Bosio writes that when

1710-402: The city. People can leave their vehicles in a nearby Floriana car park and transfer to a van for the rest of the trip. In 2007, a congestion pricing scheme was implemented to reduce long-term parking and traffic while promoting business in the city. An ANPR -based automated system takes photos of vehicles as they enter and exit the charging zone and vehicle owners are billed according to

1767-510: The completion of his city. Originally interred in the church of Our Lady of the Victories, his remains now rest in St. John's Co-Cathedral among the tombs of other Grand Masters of the Knights of Malta . Francesco Laparelli was the city's principal designer and his plan departed from medieval Maltese architecture, which exhibited irregular winding streets and alleys. He designed the new city on

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1824-473: The construction of an additional floor, were made between 1990 and 1994. On 8 November 1997, the hotel was rebranded as Le Méridien Phoenicia , following Forte's acquisition of Le Méridien . It was put on sale in late 2006, and was purchased by the Irish company Heuston Hospitality in 2007, who renamed the hotel back to Phoenicia Hotel Malta . In June 2014 the hotel was purchased by Hazeldane Group. The hotel

1881-482: The construction of the city himself after Laparelli's death in 1570. The Ufficio delle Case regulated the building of the city as a planning authority . The city of Valletta was mostly completed by the early 1570s, and it became the capital on 18 March 1571 when Grand Master Pierre de Monte moved from his seat at Fort St Angelo in Birgu to the Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta . Seven Auberges were built for

1938-492: The cornerstone of Valletta was placed, a group of Maltese elders said: " Iegi zimen en fel wardia col sceber raba iesue uquie " (Which in modern Maltese reads, " Jiġi żmien li fil-Wardija [l-Għolja Sciberras] kull xiber raba' jiswa uqija ", and in English, "There will come a time when every piece of land on Sciberras Hill will be worth its weight in gold"). De Valette died from a stroke on 21 August 1568 at age 74 and never saw

1995-823: The day and 16 °C (61 °F). Valletta experiences a lack of precipitation during the summer months and most of the precipitation happens during the winter months. Winter temperatures are moderated by the surrounding sea, as a result, the city has very mild winters and a long seasonal lag. The official climate recording station in Malta is at Luqa Airport, which is a few miles inland from Valletta. Average high temperatures range from around 16 °C (61 °F) in January to about 32 °C (90 °F) in August, while average low temperatures range from around 10 °C (50 °F) in January to 23 °C (73 °F) in August. The architecture of Valletta's streets and piazzas ranges from mid-16th century Baroque to Modernism . The city

2052-477: The duration of their stay. Valletta is served by a fleet of electric taxis which transport riders from 10 points in Valletta to any destination in the city. As of 2021, an underground Malta Metro is being planned, with a projected total cost of €6.2 billion, centred on the Valletta urban area. Malta Environment and Planning Authority The Malta Environment and Planning Authority ( MEPA , Maltese : L-Awtorità ta' Malta dwar l-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar )

2109-399: The entire peninsula became known as Sceberras. [REDACTED] Hospitaller Malta 1566–1798 [REDACTED] French Republic 1798–1800 [REDACTED] Protectorate of Malta 1800–1813 [REDACTED] Crown Colony of Malta 1813–1964 [REDACTED] State of Malta 1964–1974 [REDACTED] Republic of Malta 1974–present Recent scholarly studies have however shown that

2166-575: The implementation of Directives, Decisions and Regulations under the EU Environmental Acquis as Malta is a member of the European Union , while considering other recommendations and opinion of the Union. The Authority employed over 420 government workers, from a wide range of educational backgrounds, all within their merit of profession . On 4 April 2016, MEPA was dissolved and two new authorities were established to take its place:

2223-679: The island against an Ottoman invasion during the Great Siege of Malta . The city is Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist , Neo-Classical and Modern architecture , though the Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House . The city was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city has 320 monuments, all within an area of 0.55 square kilometres (0.21 sq mi), making it one of

2280-462: The minds behind the Valletta entrance project. The government leased the land for the hotel for 150 years. The intention was to have a place where European dignitaries could stay in the best of comfort in the centre of the island. For this reason, the outer glacis of the fortifications was identified as an ideal site. The project began in 1935, and a year later, the Scottish architect William Binnie

2337-464: The most concentrated historic areas in the world. Sometimes called an "open-air museum", Valletta was chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2018. Valletta was also listed as the sunniest city in Europe in 2016. The city is noted for its fortifications , consisting of bastions , curtains and cavaliers , along with the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches. The peninsula

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2394-543: The necessary strategies. The Planning Directorate processed environment and planning applications. It was responsible for enforcement, policy development and plan making, transport planning and research and other. The Enforcement Directorate was responsible for both Development Control and Environmental Protection and for supporting the Authority in enforcement campaigns including Direct Action, enforcement, surveillance and actions as necessary to ensure compliance with

2451-407: The port, built by the Knights as a magnificent series of bastions, demi-bastions, cavaliers and curtains, approximately 100 metres (330 ft) high, all contribute to the unique architectural quality of the city. Valletta contains a number of unofficial neighbourhoods, including: Eurostat estimates the labour force in 2015 for the greater Valletta area at around 91,000 people. This corresponds to

2508-465: The rest of the harbor area. The Royal Opera House , constructed at the city entrance in the 19th century, was one of the buildings lost to the raids. In 1980, the 24th Chess Olympiad took place in Valletta. The entire city of Valletta has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, along with Megalithic Temples of Malta and the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni . On 11 November 2015, Valletta hosted

2565-609: The revolt was eventually suppressed. In 1798, the French invaded the island and expelled the Order. After the Maltese rebelled, French troops continued to occupy Valletta and the surrounding harbour area, until they capitulated to the British in September 1800. In the early 19th century, the British Civil Commissioner, Henry Pigot , agreed to demolish the majority of the city's fortifications. The demolition

2622-399: Was again proposed in the 1870s and 1880s, but it was never carried out and the fortifications have survived largely intact. Eventually building projects in Valletta resumed under British rule. These projects included widening gates, demolishing and rebuilding structures, widening newer houses over the years, and installing civic projects. The Malta Railway , which linked Valletta to Mdina ,

2679-605: Was closed during a €15 million restoration and refurbishment. The refurbishment was expected to be complete by March 2016, but works were ready by 2018. At this point it was reopened. Throughout the years, the Phoenicia has hosted a number of distinguished guests, including Queen Elizabeth II , Prince Philip , Edwina Mountbatten , Alec Guinness , Jeffrey Hunter , Gérard Depardieu , Oliver Reed , Derek Jacobi , Joaquin Phoenix and Arnold Schwarzenegger . The Phoenicia Malta

2736-478: Was commissioned to design the building. Construction began soon after, and it was almost complete by 1939. With the outbreak of World War II , the finished parts of the hotel were requisitioned by the British military to be used by the Royal Air Force personnel. On 27 April 1942, the hotel suffered extensive damage when it was hit by aerial bombardment. Reconstruction of the damaged parts began in 1944, and

2793-455: Was demolished and the larger Fort Saint Elmo was built in its place. In the Great Siege of 1565, Fort Saint Elmo fell to the Ottomans , but the Order eventually won the siege with the help of Sicilian reinforcements. The victorious Grand Master, Jean de Valette , immediately set out to build a new fortified city on the Sciberras Peninsula to fortify the Order's position in Malta and bind

2850-487: Was fully complete in April 1948. The hotel officially opened on 3 November 1947. The opening ceremony was attended by Lady Margaret Strickland, Archbishop Mikiel Gonzi and Governor Francis Campbell . Some of the official functions relating to Malta's independence in 1964 were held at the Phoenicia. The hotel was acquired by Charles Forte in 1966, and it was refurbished between 1968 and 1970. Further modifications, including

2907-474: Was held on 20 November 1993. Other elections were held in 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2017. The present local council was elected in 2019. The local council is housed in a building in South Street. The following people have served as Mayors of Valletta: Valletta is the capital city of Malta, and is the country's administrative and commercial hub. The Parliament of Malta has been housed at

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2964-547: Was issued for numerous projects in the surrounding of the entrance from and to Valletta, including the building of a 200 beds modern style hotel. The tender was open to the public with strict guidelines for eligibility under British conditions. Maltese architects protested against the inclusion of British architects for local projects, something which was discussed in the Maltese National Assembly. The Prime Minister Gerald Strickland and his wife Margaret were

3021-513: Was officially opened in 1883. It was closed down in 1931 after buses became a popular means of transport. In 1939, Valletta was abandoned as the headquarters of the Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet due to its proximity to Italy and the city became a flash point during the subsequent two-year long Siege of Malta . German and Italian air raids throughout the Second World War caused much destruction in Valletta and

3078-459: Was previously called Xagħret Mewwija (Mu' awiya – Meuia; named during the Arab period ) or Ħal Newwija. Mewwija refers to a sheltered place. Some authors state that the extreme end of the peninsula was known as Xebb ir-Ras (Sheb point), of which name origins from the lighthouse on site. A family which surely owned land became known as Sceberras , now a Maltese surname as Sciberras. At one point

3135-486: Was responsible for Human Resources , Information Technology , Mapping and Land-surveying, support services and Finance . There were a number of boards and committees, which provide strategic guidance for the Directorates to ensure the organization fulfilled its functions and responsibilities efficiently and effectively, in line with its legal obligations. Here is an incomplete list of graded property by MEPA according to category. The below property are named according to

3192-682: Was the national agency responsible for the environment and planning in Malta . It was established to regulate the environment and planning on the Maltese islands of Malta, Gozo and other small islets of the Maltese archipelago . MEPA was bound to follow the regulations of the Environment Protection Act (2001) and the Development Planning Act (1992) of the Laws of Malta. The national agency was also responsible for

3249-629: Was the site of the National Museum of Fine Arts . The Manoel Theatre ( Maltese : Teatru Manoel ) was constructed in just ten months in 1731, by order of Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena , and is one of the oldest working theatres in Europe. The Mediterranean Conference Centre was formerly the Sacra Infermeria . Built in 1574, it was one of Europe's most renowned hospitals during the Renaissance. The fortifications of

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