Valletta
The capital of Malta is located in a promontory on the
Eastern coast. It’s located between the Grand Harbour,
to the south, and the port of Marsamxett, to the north.
It was baptised in honour of Jean Parísot of the
Vallette, Grand Master of the Order of St John Knights,
who brilliantly directed the reconstruction of the city
after expelling the Turks in the 1565 Great Siege. Valetta
continues being a beautiful baroque styled city, although
sometimes little appreciated. Their fortifications are
imposing, with gigantic stone walls that converge in the
San Elmo Fort.
It has a rectangular outline, in spite of the irregular
ground and many of their streets finish in high perrons
that descend to the docks zone. Its main street is Kingsway,
parallel to Strait Street, known with the little flattering
name of Gut. Formerly, the Strait Street was the only
street where the gentlemen could fight in duel. Later
it become the "red zone", full with bars, cheap
restaurants and prostitution houses visited by sailors.
Valetta has many beautiful churches and palaces, between
which it outstands the cathedral of St John and the auberges
or lodgings of the knights. The Auberge of Castille, rejuvenated
in 18th century, is now the office of the prime minister.
The Grand Harbour has several docks and can receive ships
of up to 300,000 tons of weight. In front of Valletta
is the town of Sliema, a modern and cosmopolitan city,
boiling with a feverish night life, countless hotels,
coffee shops, pubs, cinemas and clubs. Its coast is rocky,
but good anyway to bath.
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