Knights in Fine Armour

Day 1 - Valletta, Malta

Auberge de Castile - once a rather glamorous 'inn" for Knights

We had already been suitably “wowed” by the vast network of substantial defensive walls, built by the Knights, lying quite plainly before us as the ferry slid in to Grand Harbour.  It is an immediate confrontation; Malta’s brutal history and strategic position intentionally obvious. 

Our exploration started with Valletta and an obliging Tourist Information office to locate a Tallinja Card – unlimited bus travel for 7 days (€21) and a Heritage Malta Multipass (Seniors at €38) for prepaid entry to 22 World Heritage sites across Malta (and the Aquarium), valid for 30 days.  In our 4 days, we easily used up the value & more of these cards.

La Sacra Infermeria - a hospital for Knights & others

After a brief stop to admire the stately Auberge de Castile (now the President’s Office), we decided it would be better to start with “The Malta Experience”( located at Valletta’s tip), an interesting 45 minute presentation that covered the amazing breadth of this Island’s history - an ongoing tussle beginning with Neolithic, Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Arab, and Norman settlement and conquests.  The Spanish, French (Napoleon) and British (Nelson) had an impact on the island as did its immersion in both World Wars.  A sobering introduction indeed but one that set us up for our sightseeing jaunt.  From here, we moved across to La Sacra Infermeria (1574), the large hospital constructed by the Knights in accord with their charitable practices and caring for the sick.  The Holy Infirmary was considered medically as the most advanced of its time and even then naturopathic practices were in evidence and held in high regard.  Women however, were not treated at the hospital.  Knights were to be kept free from impurity in every sense!

The restored Fort St Elmo & Barracks Parade Ground

View toward Manoel Island west from Fort St Elmo

From here, it was a mere hop to Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, not on our Top Ten list, but as Fort St Elmo fell during initial attacks in the Great Siege, we thought it worth a look.  Impressive was the tiny and plain chapel, where Knights died defending the Christian faith against an imposing legion of Ottoman attackers.  Jean de la Vallette, at age 70, led his Knights to victory against his adversary, Dragut Rais.  The fort has since been modified and now serves in the role of providing an interesting historical account of its pivotal role in Malta’s history.

A section of the Great Siege Frieze 1575 in the Grand Master's Palace

Back past the Siege Bell Memorial and the Lower Barrack Gardens, we made for the Grand Master’s Palace, official residence (with lots of comforts & crammed full of goodies) from 1571.  Nowadays, it is the Office of the President and seat of Parliament and under extensive conservation/restoration.  We however had admission to the State Rooms (and the impressive Great Siege Frieze painted in 1575) and the well-stocked Armoury.   Leaving the Cap’n to imagine himself cloaked in a made-to-measure tin can (Oh, wait – he’s already done that but at least it had tracks!) in the Armoury, GS slipped off to the National Museum of Fine Arts to be impressed by its medieval collection and evidence perhaps, of Malta’s inclusion on the Grand Tour - a small Turner watercolour of Malta and a fine set of Mervyn Peake sketches. 

Calling it a day, we sat outside down by the water in a little restaurant close to Kalkara Marina watching:

1. A really mean surge rock the fleet (a good decision to take the ferry – yes?), and
2. France win the European Cup semi-final (& not popular with the locals it would seem) against Germany.

Steep streets in Valetta

Chapel defended to the death by Knights

More interesting body armour; bad dreams anyone?