MALTA - DECEMBER 2005
MALTA HISTORY 218 BC: Malta forms part of the Roman Republic. 60 AD: St Paul is Shipwrecked on the island and preaches Christianity. 395 - 870 : Byzantine rule. 870: The Arab invation. 1090 - 1530 : Norman, Swabian, Angevin and Aragonese rule. 1530: Charles V cedes the island of Malta to the Order of St John of Jerusalem. 1565: The Great Siege. The Ottomans attack. They are defeated by the Knights. The Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean is halted. 1566-1571: The building of Valleta, the new capital. 17th Century: Malta is under the Order of St John. The island prospers. 1798: Napoleon Bonaparte stops here on his way ot Egypt and the Order capitulates. 1800-1964: Malta becomes a British colony. 164 years of British rule. 1940-1942: Second World War - Malta is constantly attacked, but never defeated. 1947: Internal self-government is restored. Administration is the hands of a Govenor General. 1964: Malta gains independence. 1974: Malta becomes a Republic. The first Maltese President takes office. Valletta Barrakka Valletta Senglea Valletta Senglea Valletta Senglea Valletta Senglea Valletta Senglea Valletta Senglea Valletta Valletta Prime Minister Office Auberge de Castille Valletta Barrakka Valletta Barrakka Valletta Barrakka Valletta Barrakka Valletta St John Co-Cathedral 1573-77 Valletta St John Co-Cathedral 1573-77 Valletta St John Co-Cathedral 1573-77 Grand Master's Palace Grand Master's Palace Grand Master's Palace Central Bank of Malta Valletta National Library Vittoriosa Vittoriosa Vittoriosa Vittoriosa Vittoriosa Senglea Senglea Mdina Medieval Walled Town Mdina 12th c. and later Mdina Mdina Mdina, St Paul Cathedral 1697 Mdina Mdina Typical Malta Bus Rabat Roman Museum Rabat Roman Mosaic Rabat Cathedral 1697-1703 Pilgrim Church One of 400 Malta Coastline Hagar Qin Megalithic Temple 3000 BC, UNESCO Marsaxlokk Fishing Village Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk