Mdina combines an urban layout preserved over a long period with a range of historical and cultural themes. When choosing a destination, it is worth distinguishing between the city’s layout and gates, the cathedral and the collections. This can help you decide whether your main interest is city history, art, natural history or historical depictions.
City Layout and Location
Mdina was founded thousands of years ago on a hill east and north of the Bingemma cliffs. On one side, the city is surrounded by the deep valleys of Wied l-Imdina tal-Hemsija and Saqqajja; on the other, by a Roman wall and Wied Ghar Exrem. The street layout is also part of the historic city: the street plan is practically the same as it was a thousand years ago. Mdina’s history is therefore reflected not only in individual buildings, but also in the course of its street plan.
During the Arab period, the Arabs separated L-Imdina from Ir-Rabat with a deep ditch for defensive purposes and surrounded the city with new walls. The gates, too, represent different building phases. Greeks' Gate is probably the only surviving medieval entrance in Malta. Mdina Gate, also known as Vilhena Gate, was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1724.
Cathedral and Historic Buildings
St Paul’s Cathedral stands in the main square at the centre of Mdina. It was rebuilt between 1697 and 1702 under the direction of Maltese architect Lorenzo Gafà. Inside are a painting by Mattia Preti and works by various Italian artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. Its building history and artworks offer two different ways to place the cathedral within a historical tour.
Palazzo Falson also combines architectural history with its later use as a house museum. The palazzo was built in the early 13th century on the site of “La Rocca” and is considered the second-oldest surviving building in Mdina; parts of it date from the 13th century. The historic house museum opened to the public in May 2007. The augmented reality game “Secrets of Palazzo Falson” is also offered at the palazzo. As its availability may change, check before your visit.
Museums and Historical Depictions
The National Museum of Natural History is located in Palazzo Vilhena, a prominent building in Mdina’s Silent City. The exhibits cover local biodiversity and ecology, as well as geology, palaeontology, mineralogy and human evolution. Marine fauna, skeletal structures, insects, shells and birds are also among the topics. The museum focuses on the endemic and indigenous flora and fauna of the Maltese archipelago. This gives it a different emphasis from the city walls and historic buildings: the focus is on the natural world and the development of the island group.
The attractions featuring historical narratives differ in their subject matter and format. The Mdina Experience presents a 30-minute show about Mdina’s journey through time; programme details may change, so it is advisable to check before making plans. The Knights of Malta depicts the history of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem in tableaux. The attraction is located within Mdina’s fortifications, in Casa Magazzini.
The Mdina Dungeons Museum is located beneath the Magisterial Vilhena Palace near the main gate. As a historical attraction, it features authentic torture instruments and reconstructed prison cells. Its underground passages depict events from Roman times through the era of the Knights and into the Napoleonic period. Another collection can be found in Dürer Hall: the Dürer Collection contains original prints by Albrecht Dürer.
You can travel to Mdina by bicycle, taxi, bus, hop-on-hop-off service or sightseeing tour. As available transport options may change, check before travelling which ones are currently offered. The attractions range from architecture and art to natural history and staged historical depictions. These differences can help you choose stops according to your own interests without treating the various offerings as interchangeable.
Discover more destinations: Ghanjsielem, Gharb, Birżebbuġa, Qormi, Mqabba, Gzira, Floriana, Qala.
See the broader travel overview: Malta.
