Mdina, the Silent City: Malta’s ancient capital

People have lived in this area since before 4000BCE, and even the history of the city of Mdina stretches back over 2,500 years.

The first known city on this site was founded by the Phoenicians in around 700BCE, when it was known as Ann.

The Romans occupied Malta from 218BCE, capturing it from the Carthaginians (Phoenicians who had settled in North Africa) during the Second Punic War. They controlled the island until the fall of Rome, when it became part of the eastern Byzantine empire until 870CE. The Roman Governor’s Palace was located in Mdina, while evidence of their occupation includes the remains of a villa just outside the current city walls, which the Romans called Melita (or Melite). According to the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, St Paul was shipwrecked on Malta, where he cured the Roman governor’s father of sickness before departing.

The Arabs laid siege to the Byzantine city in 870CE, eventually occupying the whole island for the next two centuries. While Mdina wasn’t settled straight away, it was refounded in the 11th century. It’s at this point that the city was given its current name – the Arabic word madinah means town or city – which has become corrupted over the years to become Mdina (pronounced ‘umm-dee-nah’).

In 1091, the Normans conquered the island. It’s thought that the Arab population did not leave immediately, although all had been expelled by the middle of the 13th century. During this period, much of the town was rebuilt and the walls repaired. When the Knights of St John arrived in 1530, they decided Mdina wasn’t suitable as the island capital as it lay inland, and made their main base at Birgu (also known as Vittoriosa) before building Valletta in 1566, which has been the capital ever since.

A severe earthquake damaged Mdina in 1693, although many of the medieval buildings still survived, giving it its unique character. Over the following few decades, major rebuilding work saw Baroque architecture added to the city, including the main gate and the cathedral.

Mdina

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is well nicknamed the ‘Silent City’, and it’s easy to feel as if you might have travelled back a few centuries as you walk inside the walls. With its mix of Arab and medieval Norman architecture, it’s easy to imagine what the city would have been like long ago when it was Malta’s capital – even the newest architecture is from the early 1700s. The honey-coloured stone streets are often too narrow even for a horse and carriage to navigate, while no cars are allowed inside the walls except for emergency vehicles and access for residents. Small enough that you’ll never become badly lost as you wander, Mdina’s labyrinth of streets are perfect for ambling along, spotting details like historic street names, enjoying the views from the walls and emerging into elegant squares.

Mdina isn’t a large city so you could walk round and spot the highlights fairly quickly. But allow at least half a day to really enjoy exploring; Mdina is made for slow strolls, for getting lost in the maze of golden stone streets, for soaking up the panoramas from the walls and for people-watching from cafes.

If you’re hoping to visit most of the historic buildings, museums and other attractions, allow up to a day to do these justice as well. A visit to the city is often included in tours of Malta, but its position in the heart of the island also means it’s very easy to reach from the main tourist areas; around 20 minutes by taxi from St Julian’s and Valletta, or from Qawra Bay in the north if you’d like to return for a few hours to explore at leisure.

St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdina

Mdina’s centuries-old buildings, timeless atmosphere and lack of cars mean it’s the perfect location to double for historic cities or fictional locations, so it’s little surprise that Mdina has appeared multiple times in films and on TV.

The city was one of the main locations for King’s Landing during series 1 of Game of Thrones, before filming moved to Croatia. The entry to the fictional city is Mdina’s Main Gate with its stone lions, while some of the cobbled streets featured as other locations in King’s Landing, including a fight between Ned Stark and Jaime Lannister in Mesquita Square.

Ridley Scott has also used the island as a location for several of his films, such as Gladiator where the ancient streets of Mdina were used as backdrops, as well as Napoleon, where the city doubled as both 19th century Paris and the island of Elba.

Mdina has also had a starring role in the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo, and in the 2004 epic Troy.

It’s easy to while away an hour or more exploring the Silent City’s streets, but there are a few landmarks and historic sites that you shouldn’t miss during your visit.

It’s almost impossible to avoid walking through the Main Gate of Mdina, which is one of the few entrances through the walls into the city. The majority of buses and taxis stop outside here, and it also makes for a dramatic start to your visit. The bridge to the archway crosses a grassy moat, while two carved stone lions guard the entrance; the current gate is a later Baroque addition after the earthquake.

Officially the island’s co-cathedral along with the co-cathedral of St John in Valletta, the site has a history dating back around 2,000 years to the days when a Roman temple stood here. According to tradition, Roman governor Publius met St Paul at this location after his shipwreck on Malta. A later church was converted into a mosque under Arab rule, before a Norman cathedral replaced it in the 12th century. That church was badly damaged in the 17th century earthquake and today’s cathedral was built shortly afterwards, incorporating a few surviving areas of the medieval building. Today, the cathedral is famous for its ornately painted ceiling and decorative commemorative slabs on the floor.

Mdina

While there are key landmarks not to miss, the biggest attraction of a visit to Mdina is simply wandering through the historic streets, spotting all the picturesque details; ornate door knockers, decorative lamps, flower-filled corners, and signs linked to the building’s past, such as one reading ‘the old Jewish silk market’. Some streets are narrow enough that you almost need to walk in single file, others wider with room for horse and carriage which take visitors on rides through the city. Look out too for the medieval well in Mesquita Square, and the city’s two smaller gates.

Mdina’s defensive location was what drew the first settlers, set on a hilltop high above the surrounding countryside, with more fortifications added later to protect against attack. Bastion Square is one of the main areas where you can climb up to enjoy those views and to get close to the thick walls encircling the city, as well as being home to several attractive honey-coloured buildings.

The second oldest building in the city, Palazzo Falson is a 13th century aristocratic townhouse that’s now been restored and turned into a museum. Some rooms are recreated with period furnishings and costumes, while there’s also artworks on display, including pieces by Van Dyck, plus a collection of more than 3,500 items spread across 17 rooms, featuring everything from jewellery to armour.

During Roman times, Mdina stretched further than its current boundaries, and just outside the city walls you can explore a villa dating back to the 1st century BCE. There’s a small museum housing various sculptures and information on the city’s Roman history, before walking into the foundations of the villa, with its intricate mosaic floors, and a chance to see more of the ruins outside.

The best time to explore Mdina is during spring and autumn, as the city can be extremely hot and busy during the summer months. There is some shade in the narrower streets, but you have no protection from the sun on the walls or in the bigger squares, while peak season crowds mean some of the tranquil atmosphere can be lost. There’s usually good weather from late March to May and September to October, and outside Easter and school holidays, you won’t have to share the Silent City with as many others.

Discover the Silent City of Mdina for yourself on a holiday to Malta